Another bright and sunny day to take on the capital. Our group started out at the Newseum, an interactive museum whose mission is "to help the public and the news media understand one
another better" and to "raise public awareness of the important role of a
free press in a democratic society."
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| Viewing the moving exhibit of Pulitzer Prize winning photographs. |
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| A significant portion of one floor of the Newseum is devoted to the issue of civil rights. |
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| "Should citizens be able to take photos or video of confrontations with police? Yes or no?" |
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| College students utilize their First Amendment rights and MAKE SOME NOISE. |
After a few hours in the Newseum, the day was open for students to journey to last minute destinations and other DC "must-sees." Below is a sampling of what they experienced.
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| Museum of Natural History. |
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| Couple of shady characters. |
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| A little colorful culture. |
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| First Ladies' dresses. |
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| Exhibit on the secret life of roots at the botanical gardens. |
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| American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial. |
The Newseum did not disappoint! With so much to see, I now understand why they allow the ticket to last for 2 days! The FBI sector was very intriguing. Seeing the death mask of John Dillinger and his real firearms along with many other mug shots of prohibition-era fugitives was surreal. I am a big buff for history and to see (and touch) the dividing cement block from the Berlin Wall was crazy! The death tower placed behind was an eye opener knowing how many died trying to cross into West Germany. The 9/11 sector of the Newseum was very emotional to see and hear the story of the only journalist who perished in the towers. A video was shown of people looking for their loved ones as missing persons. They displayed many issues released by newspapers across the world on 9/11 and I found the Kansas City Star issue on the top right corner. I remember. The American Veterans Disabled for Life was emotional with the many accounts and stories from those who will never be the same. The detail within the glass was very impressive and yet no one was present to admire the memorial during my visit. I guess it remains a hidden gem.
ReplyDeleteWe went into the FBI exhibit as well, and it was captivating in an eerie way. I love all of that stuff, but at the same time I worry that it will give me nightmares. People do some crazy things in this world. Next time you are in DC, you should check out the FBI building. They have some pretty awesome artifacts and files on their top cases. Yet another museum in DC that you could get lost in for an afternoon!
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ReplyDeleteThe Newseum was something that I did not expect to have enjoyed so much. It was full of so much history and I could have been there for days on end reading and watching everything it had to offer. I am so glad you were at the 9/11 section to show me the Kansas City Star issue as I would have not probably caught that! It made that moment hit directly home for me.
DeleteAfter spending hours in the Newseum, my group and I decided to visit the Smithsonian area. We went in the Museum of Natural History where we saw a wide range of history, including the Hope Diamond. The museum was geared more towards families with young children but it was still incredible to see. After we spent some time there, we returned to the White House and then walked the streets of D.C. until it was time for our departure back to Kansas City. As we were walking back to our hotel, I turned around and was able to see all of the amazing places we had just visited over a short period of time. I hope to visit D.C. again in the near future and continue to make more memories of all it has to offer!
ReplyDeleteThe Smithsonian museum's were a tourist trap. My friend and I visited the Air and Space museum. Though there were many parents and children present, the WWI display was more geared to an adult audience. They also have a display for WWII. The only thing I regret was not seeing their IMAX presentation of D:Day. I hope to visit DC soon in hopes of rectifying what was missed and also, like you mentioned, make more memories!
DeleteThe view from the top of the newseum was incredible if you went out on the balcony. I spent a good ten minutes out there just looking. Shaun has a point as far as tourist traps go to an extent; we tried to do the Native American museum on Friday along with the everything else on the agenda (we didn't make it), but there were three buses pulling up and you couldn't even see the ground. The only thing you could see was a sea of little children's heads
Delete-Howie
I wish that there had not been so many kids at the Smithsonian's, but I agree that they were still a joy to see! I fully intend on visiting D.C. again, and with any luck it will be very soon. Four days was not nearly enough time to fit in everything that I wanted to do, but it was a great experience, and one that I will never forget!
DeleteWhen I saw the Hope Diamond, I remembered a documentary I watched about it a couple of years ago and history was yet again real and visible in front of us. With so many children around us at the Smithsonian I was impressed by the amount of information that these children are gathering from these museums. It was great to spend time looking around the DC area and yet again taking in all the culture and truly being one with the area. Visiting DC again would be something I would love to once again do someday!
DeleteWhen I entered the Hope Diamond, my goal was to stay in that section, but sadly I was consumed by the group and pushed into the Minerals sections. However, I was amazed at how many minerals there were and how beautiful they were. I agree with you that the museum was more towards children, but still amazing to experience!
DeleteAlright, I was very hesitant about visiting the Newseum and I must confess it was one of my favorites.You could really just pick up anywhere and go which I really liked. By FAR the best thing in the newseum was the 4D movie. If you missed out on this then I feel sorry for you. The 3D effects were ridiculously well done, the chairs shook and rotated, they implemented other sensual triggers such as wind and smell (besides sound obviously). It was just all around cool. Lo and I were wishing it was longer. Next I popped over to the Native American museum and it was interesting, but I found the art to be the most alluring part just because it was so different from what im use to seeing. I actually ate here as well and it was the bomb. I had a bison burger that kept me full for hours which is very unusual and some corn on the cob with some seasoning and some other mysterious stuff on it, but it was delicious none the less. Money well spent.
ReplyDelete-Howie
I also ate at the Native American Museum, and I totally agree about the food! I had the salmon, but I admit that the Bison burger held my attention for more than a few minutes. I also found the art incredibly interesting, but by far the coolest part about the native american museum was the cherokee youth choir who came in and sang while my group was there. It was very comforting to see how this civilization was still alive and growing.
DeleteThe Newseum simply contains too much information that can not be seen in a day. It's my favourite too. It's called the Newseum yet it contains all these history which once was news. That is like chaos in a good way. New and old, current affairs and history all blent together.
DeleteOn the last day we went to the Newseum. The Newseum has information about journalist. At the Newseum we watched a video about 911. The video was very sad it made me emotional and I couldn’t control my tears. The Newseum also had section on various issue of civil rights. I found each section of Newseum very informative and interesting. We also visited the national gallery of art, museum of natural history. It was a day filled with history and art. It was exciting to travel around Washington using the Metro. Just when I felt like I got use to the metro system it was time to get back to Kansas. I have learned so much during the four days. I am glad that I was given the opportunity to participate in this trip.
ReplyDeleteMenna Assefa
I love the Metro!!! It was one of my favorite parts of DC. I know it sounds silly, but it was so exciting! I think it has the extra spice because you have to react so quickly and always be ready to move or you could get left at the station (as some of our class did once). I think KC needs to get on this subway bandwagon because I could not get enough of it. The civil rights section was one of the shining exhibits in the Newseum. I loved the board of stickers that gave the people a chance to show their opinion on recording police confrontations. Ironically enough, our nation had another issue arise shortly before our trip. Had the incident not been caught on film, the officer would have gotten away with murder. I truly believe that citizens have the right to hold our law enforcement and all levels of government accountable for their actions. after all we are supposed to be "A government FOR the people, BY the people"!
DeleteThe Newseum may be one of my favorite places ever, no joke. I think the art of journalism is very underrated, especially photojournalism. I spent a lot of time viewing the Pulitzer Prize winning photos. They stuck my heart more words ever could have. After viewing each picture I read the notes along side and I was choked up more than once. The one that hit me the hardest was the picture of the young village girl bent over starving and sobbing in a field with a vulture waiting patiently by to pick at her corpse. As if the picture wasn't powerful enough, the journalist that snapped this devastating moment never helped the child. He recalled that they were clearly instructed not to touch the people because of disease. After the journalist left he regretted his decision and thought often, "Why didn't I just pick her up?". This choice haunted and tortured him with guilt. He later committed suicide. There are several photos that I can still clearly see in my mind, I don't think they will ever leave. After that Taylor and I ventured off to see the Hope Diamond and found the most wonderful surprise along the way. The National Archives was open for our view pleasure! With time as a critical issue we sprinted inside and made our way to see the documents that forged a nation, documents we thought we weren't going to see. Both of us were almost struck speechless and tears filled our eyes as we stood in front of The Constitution and The Declaration of Independence. I was simply perfect. After we left we had a quick discussion regarding our hope that one day our country will be ran to uphold the values in which our forefathers intended. We hope that our country will eventually be governed to uphold the Constitution and that we become the Democracy we were meant to be. After that we tore our way through as many I enjoyed the Smithsonians so much! We visited the Natural History Museum, the Native American Museum, the Castle's courtyard and the Botanical Gardens. Our last stop in DC was a quick visit to Ford's Theater, when the Nation lost such an influential lead, who may or may not be a vampire hunter ;) Overall, DC was a life changing experience in so many ways. I can not wait to return and get lost in all again.
ReplyDeleteFirst off I am so jealous that you guys saw the Declaration of Independence and The Constitution! That is so awesome it's also on my list of to dos for my next visit. It gets longer as everyone adds what their favorites were to the blog everyday. We walked past Ford's Theater one day and I contemplated how different the city must have looked back then on that day. How torn our country was to lose such a leader.
DeleteI have been to Washington in the past to visit my in-laws. I am glad that I was able to go with this group. It has opened my eyes to so much more. The Newseum was also one of my favorite place. The saying that pictures speak louder than words is so true. I agree with you the photos were more memorable than if someone was to tell me about what the photo depicts. I too look forward to going back with my family and revisiting most of the places again. I know my husband and children will love to get the same experience.
DeleteMenna Assefa
Molly, I absolutely love your enthusiasm. You were able to visit so much more than I did on the last day. Along with Catie I am envious you got to see the Constitution AND the Declaration. How amazing it would be to see something that would pave the way for many. I do love our country in this respect because with these two documents our voice, among many, vcan be heard. -Laurel
DeleteThe newseum was definitely one of my favorite places for sure. I could easily spend the entire two days there that our ticket allows. I am huge political cartoon addict and they had an entire section with those so that was easily my favorite. More tears came as we walked through the 9/11 section. I found it very hard to hear the journalists speak of the days events and exactly how they pushed through. I also found it very interesting to hear the story of the abc reporter John Miller who did an interview with Osama Bin Laden in 1998. I guess I was just not very informed on all the events that occurred before 9/11 but all the things that were foreshadowed in the interview made me ill. The entire museum was eye opening and I loved every moment from seeing the civil rights activists who were my age that stood up for what they knew was right was amazing to see. I am not sure I would have the strength to do what they did. And to stand on either side of the Berlin wall where many had lost their lives trying to cross was haunting. After we left the museum we grabbed lunch at Union Station and then wandered over to the American History Museum. I wanted to see the First Lady's dresses and I also ventured through an exhibit with Professor Milakovic called the Price of Freedom. I really wanted to make it to the Botanical Gardens and the Root's exhibit but I guess I will just have to schedule my next trip!
ReplyDeleteAs I was not able to see the museum, I unfortuantly have very little to comment on it, except for my envy of my fellow classmates. However, on our last day, I was finally able to see the botanical gardens, an experience I had been looking forward to since we arrived. And boy, was I not dissapointed. As a gardening enthusiast, this was a truly thrilling experience. It was like I was entering a brand new world, like Jurassic park. It's a silly comparison, I know, but the huge trees and flowers really did help to transport the viewer to a new mindset.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely loved the Newseum. Only spending two hours there was not nearly enough, but as it was our last day in D.C. we were forced to leave so that we could try and fit everything else in that we wished to do. On our way to visit the Natural History Smithsonian, my partner and I came to the thrilling sight that the National Archives were open due to the Cherry Blossom Festival. We ran (literally) inside and went directly to the top floor where we saw the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights. There is something jolting and inspiring about seeing the documents upon which your country is built. Afterwards, we continued on to the Natural and saw the Hope Diamond. The necklace truly is all that people say it is. Having only intended on seeing the diamond, we ended up making our way through the rest of the gem exhibit. Had time allowed, we would have stayed at the Natural for hours and made our way through every exhibit, but we were forced to leave. Next we visited the Botanical Gardens. I don't know much of anything about plants or gardening or landscaping, but the exhibit was stilling. I wanted to sit down and stay forever. Something about having trees rising up around you with vibrant flowers and the fresh smells of nature takes all of your stress away. The environment was intoxicating and I could have easily simply sat on a bench and stayed there all day listening to the sounds of the birds and running water, and inhaling the scent of the vegetation, but we still had to go see Ford's Theatre. I'm glad we made the time to stop by the theatre and the house where Lincoln died. Something with that immense amount of historical significance is hard to fathom when you're standing in front of it. For our last day in D.C., I'm not sure we could have been spent it in a better way.
ReplyDeleteI agree that 2 hours is not enough time in the Newseum. I really think it is neat that you got to see the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and Bill of Rights. That is something I would love to have seen. Not many people can say that they have seen them before. I wanted to go to Fords Theater and take a tour inside but there was just not enough time to do so. Hopefully I can go back and visit that.
Delete-Erica
The Newseum was really cool! It really made me tear up a bit when I saw the pieces left from 9/11. The phones that were buried in the rubble and pieces from the plane and building. I watch a video about when Journalist were getting footage of 9/11. To watch the plane hit and the buildings collapse was really sad! I felt like I was reliving it all over again. There were journalist that died from the rubble of the falling building. They were trying to catch footage and got to close and died which was sad to see. I can see why they give 2 day passes because a few hours is not enough to see everything. I went and saw the American History Museum, which I was there I saw the first ladies dresses which was really neat to see. It was sad leaving D.C. but I enjoyed my time there and would love to go back sometime.
ReplyDelete-Erica
I will have to be honest thd Newseum was a lot cooler than what I thought it would be. The first thing we saw was the 4-D movie showing the develoment of public news over time which was very exciting and interesting. As we got deeper into thr museum I noticed the most emotional part for me was the 9/11 exhibit that contained all of the artifacts. There were a few others standing around the large piece on exhibit and we asked each other where we were when it happened. It was also eye opening for me to see all of the front page papers from countries all over the world. I was only 7 when the towers were hit and in hindsight, I wasn't concerned with what was going on or I didn't realize how grave the terrorists actions were. There was much to be seen and we headed for the Native American Museum for more excitement but also food. We went to the food court first where I had my first bison burger and traditional ear of corn prepared with cheese, a sweet sauce, and chile. It was delicious! The meal filled me up until the end of the day. We left and passed the Dr. King memorial where I took some more beautiful pictures of his sculpture and the surrounding cherry blossoms. We also went by the botanical garden smithsonian where I was a little disappointed because very little was in bloom. Regardless, it was a be a utiful sight to see.
ReplyDeleteAbove is from Laurel Lujano. I wasn't sure if it would bump me off so I copied the passage just in case but forgot to enter my name!
DeleteI agree that Newseum was a loot cooler than expected. The 9/11 was a big deal in the rest of the world. I remember like it was yesterday. There was breaking news, in Croatia we were all disgusted by the horror that it was happening. I remember my grandmother crying. When innocent people die it is hard not to take it personal and emotional.
DeleteTomislav Lubenjak
We spent a great deal of time in the newseum. It was captivating to see history from our lifetime. I was particularly drawn to the 9/11 memorial tour that was in town. A truly terrible crime that I can recall so distinctly. Sitting in high-school photo class junior year. The city practically shut down that day. It was painful to see pieces of the torture that ensued that day. The structural supports looked crushed like a toothpick. The unibomber cabin was haunting, so haunting I couldn't begin to imagine the pain created from that building. On a more light hearted note, "playing" news anchor was entertaining. This city is impossible to see in 4 days. We only began to touch the surface of what DC has to offer. There are so many things that I would have loved to visit but time just didn't allow. The natural history museum took up a great deal of time after the Newseum and was an amazing experience. This planet has held an amazing history. Creatures that we could never imagine and a time when we would have feared to even go outside. Life has evolved to give us anything we could want and the freedom to feel safe. Earth is an amazing place, both for the good and the bad. -Jennifer Tousley
ReplyDeleteI loved the Newseum.I spent at least three hours there. I can see how people can stay in there for days. I wasn't expecting to get so interested in it. I loved the short movies at first at fourth floor. At first floor I learned a loot about photography. To see the emotion in the photography that I never saw in the photography before was remarkable. The video that i saw on the first floor was educational, emotional and inspirational. After that video I wanted to go and buy a camera. On the fourth floor the video was really emotional. To see all the civilians suffering was hard to watch. I learned something on every single floor, but in the same time I had have fun. It was fun to see Croatian news paper on the wall on the fourth floor. I remember 9/11 like it was yesterday, and I remember that certain newspaper.
ReplyDeleteI loved the Museum of Natural History. I saw a loot of interesting thing. Surprisingly the most interesting part of the museum was the part with the rocks. There were so many types of rocks and minerals. I felt like a kid in the toy store. I wanted to learn so much more about them. I also loved the photography part of the museum. The photography were breathtaking. So beautiful that I could look at at every photography for 10 minutes individually.
After that I rented a bike and visited most of the monument once more, just to experience in the different way. I felt freedom in a certain way. Just to ride a bike next to all iconic monuments was really special. That ride perfectly finished my visit at DC. I loved every second of this trip.
Tomislav Lubenjak
Third day in a row that I cried in DC...I'm a mess! Photography is one of my passions, and the Pulitzer Prize winning photos all through the first room of the Newseum completely enthralled me. The stories behind the photos were full of pain and joy, sometimes they were hard to bare. I enjoyed the video in that room as well. After that we moved on to the Berlin Wall and the 9/11 memorial wall, both of which were moving experiences for me. How blessed we are that we can see and touch these pieces of history, and that our country values truth, openness, and freedom of speech.
ReplyDeleteWe could have spent the rest of the day in the Newseum, but we wanted to see a few more things on the mall. We ended up spending the majority of our time in the Natural History museum. There is so much to see, and we got sucked in. By the time we emerged, we barely had two hours left. We went another round with the food trucks on the border of the mall, then back in to a couple of the other Smithsonian buildings. Eventually we decided to head to the metro only to discover that it was rerouted, so we walked back to the hotel from the mall. We made one pit stop at a gift stand, and made it back just in time to get on the plane ride home.
Day four. Really sad that we were soon going to be gone. The newseum was a really good place to end our trip though, really a modern and sleek look of all of the things we looked at. Seeing the 9/11 exhibit, putting a different look on the 9/11 memorial. Seeing the stories of those who reported on the events that day.
ReplyDeleteAfter the newseum, we had the chance to visit the Natural History museum. A place with so much to learn from and really adventurous place to end the trip. Now that our trip is over all I want to do is go back and visit more places and wish I had more time to take it all in, but those four days, we took in so much of DC. Truly a trip of a lifetime.
The last day in DC was my most favorite day because I had the most fun. The Newseum was my favorite museum, besides the Holocaust, because it had sad events and also happy events. It was really cool to experience the history of America and see all that has happened. There was stuff that I did not even know happened and I will never forget anything I read. After the Newseum, my group and I went to the National History Museum and I really enjoyed the section will all the bone structures of all the different types of animals. I am so blessed I was able to visit Washington DC. It was such an incredible experience and I will definitely be returning in the near future. I believe that everyone should go to their Nations Capital and see what made us as a country.
ReplyDeleteI remember that there was this lady was so amazed and suprised to find out that the first man went into outer space was actually Russian not American. Most people could learn something new there in the Newseum I guess.
DeleteI spent most time of my last day in the Newseum. I followed the guide book they gave me and there are just so much stuff can be seen. There are more than a dozen theaters and most of them contains more than one piece of video. They are right that journalists are actually writing history in current time. All the news today will be history one day. I can even say they are already part of history when it is created. History is one of the most important part of human race in my personal opinion. The pass of knowledge, technology, culture and so much more can all be found in history. Our history made us the way we are today. Our history is part of us that can not be separated from us.
ReplyDelete---敖彦达 Yanda Ao