Sadly, the national portrait gallery is closed for a couple more years. I
know the building needed some serious renovation, so it really is a good
thing. Their website says they are exhibiting at other locations in the
meantime, so check around for that. The National Gallery of Art will
probably keep you busy enough anyway. I love getting lost in there.





At 05:22 AM 7/25/02 -0700, you wrote:
>--- Elizabeth Walton <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>> Museum time depends on your interests and how much you read, I would give a
>> half day for each place on average, maybe more for American History and
>> Holocaust and zoo. But most museums could take most of a day or even more
>> if you are really interested in the content. The national portrait gallery
>> and museum of women in the arts are good too
>
>I thought that the NPG and American art were closed for renovations.
>
>But if you have the time, both are right in Chinatown, which is worth a
visit.
>
>As for museums to see, I strongly suggest that you plan on seeing either
one or
>two museums a day. Any more and you'll run yourself ragged. Go to their
>websites and pick some exhibits that you really want to see and then wander
>through the galleries. A lot of them especially at Natural History, are
>undergoing much needed renovation so be flexible.
>
>Also at this time is a special Egypt exhibit at the National Gallery of
Art (a
>Federal museum but not part of the Smithsonian) that is a must see. Get
>advanced tickets to avoid wasting your time in line.
>
>The Vietnam memorial is past the Washington Monument and near the Lincoln
>memorial and reflecting pool. It is a major hike from the Smithsonian!! Heck,
>walking from Air and Space to American History is nearly a mile. Distances
are
>deceiving on the Mall. I think Federal Triangle is the nearest metro stop but
>check the maps.
>
>The zoo is another major hike. The closest metro stop is Woodley Park
which is
>about a mile from the entrance. Then you have to walk all over the zoo.
>Personally, I find it easier to drive in and pay for parking if you have
hired
>a car. I think there might be a bus that runs to the gate but by the time you
>have waited for the bus and done all the transfers, it's about the same
amount
>of time as walking in the first place.
>
>Other things to take into consideration is that most museums (if not all of
>them) now have x-ray machines and guards checking bags at the door. Plan on
>waiting in line and delays there. Yes, it's a major pain. (And the SI has
>always had bomb threats and yahoos coming through the doors so I don't see
why
>this time in history is any different but I won't get started on it. :)
>
>Other DC things to do:
>
>- The cheap tickets place in front of the Old Post Office Pavillion.
Definitely
>catch a show if you can. DC has great theater. If you can get to the Kennedy
>Center, do it. It's an amazing venue. The National Theater is also a great
>place. Ford's theater is neat, but not a great theater venue as it's older
and
>rather small. Studio Theater and Arena Stage put on marvelous productions.
The
>Folger/Shakespere Theater are also good.
>
>- The Old Post Office Pavillion - eat at the food court and look around. It's
>now full of cheesy shops but it's a cool building and not that far off of the
>mall.
>
>- The Library of Congress - has exhibit space and a tour. More books than you
>can possibly imagine and it's right behind the Capital. (The *other* dome at
>the top of the Mall.)
>
>- The National Aquarium - There's a little aquarium in the basement of The
>Department of Labor (someone help me here) that's a nice place to go to get
>away from the tourists. Not expansive by any means but good for taking a
>breather.
>
>- The Dupont Circle and Adams Morgan areas - great resturants, quirky
shops and
>plenty of atmosphere. Dupont is sort of the "gayborhood" but there's a
wide mix
>of people that live and hang out there. Adams Morgan has excellent
resturants.
>
>- The National Cathedral - A ways from everything but worth the drive if you
>want to get out there. It's got a spectacular garden and a nice tour.
>
>- Old Town Alexandria - Right off the King Street Metro. Full of great shops
>and resturants and dates back to the early 1700s. (I know, that's early
for you
>Europeans. :) You'll have to walk a bit from the metro stop but it's worth
it.
>If you go, check out the Torpedo Factor art center right on the
waterfront. It
>would be a nice evening trip. I don't think I've ever eaten at a bad
resturant
>in Old Town and the shops are open until 9 or 10 on the weekdays and some
later
>on the weekends.
>
>Things to avoid:
>
>- The White House Tour - unless you have a facination for china. Long
lines and
>you see like 3 rooms. Whee!
>
>- The Washington Monument - look at it but don't waste your time in line
to go
>up it. You look out. You see the city. Whee!!
>
>- The FBI tour - It's kind of cool but again, you'll wait in line for ages
just
>to see a couple of exhibits and a few labs that aren't used that much. Sadly,
>Scully and Mulder do not hang out there but there is a little exhibit to the
>Silence of the Lambs. If you come back during the off-season, it would be
>something to see if you have time.
>
>- The National Archives - Okay you archivists, don't shoot me here but you'll
>stand in line to see old bits of paper and that's about it. Again,
something to
>see if there isn't a wait but I don't think it's worth fighting the crowds.
>
>- Georgetown - it's not on the subway system and it's being over run by
>yuppies. There are some nice shops and resturants there but it's not worth
time
>on a short trip. But if you are an Exorcist fan, it does have the stairs that
>Father Damian gets thrown down at the end of the movie. Georgetown U has some
>neat architecture but it's a pain to get to.
>
>- Standing in line for more than 30 minutes at anything. There's too much to
>see in DC to waste your time waiting around at any one place. If it's
something
>that you simply *have* to see, then go ahead and wait. But don't do it more
>than once.
>
>Have a great trip!!
>
>Deb
>
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