After an extremely light lunch, we prowled the many isles of various Smithsonian Museums. It was indeed a great way to escape the scorching hot afternoon sun. The Smithsonian Institution is the world's largest museum and research complex. It is made up of a whooping 19 museums / galleries on top of the National Zoological Park! The best thing about this complex? Most of them are FREE and open almost everyday!
We are even similar to bananas?!!
The Hope Diamond
Simply awe-inspiring that the above iron meteorite formed in the core of an asteroid 4.6 billion years ago. Impacts broked up the asteroid and freed the metal, hurling these 2 pieces to Earth.
Dom Pedro is the largest known aquamarine gem at 10,363 carats!
Such a variety of shapes, but all from the same mineral. All Calcite crystals have the same composition and arrangement of calcium, carbon and oxygen atoms. However, impurities along with difference in temperatures caused crystal faces to grow at different rates, resulting in the above incredible diversity.
From left to right:
1) Hall Sapphire and Diamond Necklace, designed by Harry Winston: exquisite necklace with 36 deep blue sapphires from Sri Lanka (195 carats) surrounded by a sparkling sea of 435 diamonds (84 carats)
2) Bismarck Sapphire Necklace, designed by Cartier: 98 carat sapphire from Burma, surrounded by 312 diamonds
3) Logan Sapphire: This 423 carat stone from Sri Lanka is one of the world's largest known faceted blue sapphires.
Mummies always make for a great exhibit at a museum. With many amulets representing important aspects of rebirth as believed by ancient Egyptians, mummification is one fascinating topic.
We of course learnt of many more things, not included in this blog. But I just wanted to share the more interesting displays so let us move on to the next museum.
The Abstract Flag at the entrance to the Star-Spangled Banner Gallery
Even with only slightly over an hour left of opening hours, it didn't stop me from stopping at the museum cafe for this delicious cooling sorbet :D
The Dolls' House
This miniature 5-storey house was designed and decorated by Faith Bradford. Built on a scale of 1 inch to 1 foot, this house has copious rooms for Mr and Mrs Peter Doll, their 10 children, 2 visiting grandparents, 5 servants and 20 pets. With that many people and animals, I guess 23 rooms is a necessity.
"The American Presidency - A Glorious Burden" exhibition
John & Abigail Adams moved into a partially completed White House in late 1800. East and West wings and other additions came later. Initially referred to as the President's House, it was called the Executive Mansion when rebuilt after the British burned it in the War of 1812. However, the name White House became popular with the general public and in 1902, Theodore Roosevelt made it official.
This gallery was calibrated to achieve that single effect of admiration for men who shouldered the glorious burden as The President of the United States (POTUS).
To celebrate men who achieved their cherished ambitions of holding the most powerful job in the world
Washington DC was not known as the city with a vibrant nightlife and we headed back to our hotel around 9pm. When we reached our station, we stopped by the supermarket to buy some fruits. Lo and behold, there was a torrential downpour when we were waiting at the cashier! After waiting about 15 minutes with the hope of rain stopping, we just ran to the hotel. Our clothes were soaked and a warm shower was more than welcome for us.
Smithsonian Institution's Castle
Open daily 0830-1730 (except Dec 25)
Completed in 1855, this building houses visitor centre, castle cafe and museum souvenir shop.
Our first pick was The National Museum of National History.
Remember we visited a similar museum in NYC? However, we didn't get a chance to thoroughly explore the museum as it was closing in 45 minutes. Hence, that was our first choice among various museums to learn about earliest human origins as well as that of multitude of animals through the study of ecosystem & fossils. Development of world's cultures was further delved into under the title of human diversity. A bonus was a section on gems and crystals. As a girl, I guaranteed you, learning about these stones was a marvelous way to spend an afternoon.
The leatherback sea turtle is one of the world's largest reptiles. It has an usually thin area of bone on top of its skull which allows light to penetrate directly to the brain' pineal gland. That was how leatherback sea turtle measures the ambiance light.
French King Louis XIV was fond of beautiful and rare gems. When gems merchant Tavernier presented his diamond collection from India to the King in 1668, the King purchased an entire lot, including a deep blue diamond of flawless clarity, with an astounding size of 115 carat. The King then ordered one of his royal jewelers to recut the diamond to further bring out its brilliance. The result was a 69-carat heart-shaped diamond, more commonly known as the French Blue. This brilliant sparkler remained in the French monarchy's possession till 1792, when thieves stole precious crown jewels during the French Revolution.
In 1812, a spectacular deep blue 45-carat diamond appeared in London as described by jeweler Francillon. However, he didn't mentioned where the diamond came from. At that time, nobody had connected this diamond to the French Blue yet. After passing through the hands of several merchants, and collectors, it was rumored that the fine blue diamond was in possession of the King of England, George IV. However, in 1839, this magnificent diamond appeared in the gem collection catalog of a wealthy British Banker Henry Philip Hope. Since then, this blue 45-carat gemstone became known as The Hope Diamond.
Only in 1858, the first speculations that linked The Hope Diamond as a recut French Blue appeared in the French gemologist's book. There was little room to argue otherwise since such a perfect stone with the exact same blue tint of a huge size could be considered a one in a million.
Unfortunately, the descendants of the Hope family who inherited The Hope Diamond lived extravagantly beyond their means that they were in financial troubles, which forced them to sell the precious blue stone in 1901. It ended up in New York while there was no interested American buyer due to the slow economy. In 1910, French jewelry house Cartier became the eventual owner of The Hope Diamond. After two years of hard work, the persistent Pierre Cartier sold the stone set in a contemporary setting (as we see today) to the affluent American couple Ned and Evelyn Walsh McLean. Evelyn adored it so much that she wore it frequently at the high-society events as her signature jewel.
2 years after her death, the court ordered the sale of her jewel collection to pay off the debts against her estate. In 1949, renowned American jeweler Harry Winston purchased the entire jewel collection. The Hope Diamond was the highlight of Harry Winston's Court of Jewels traveling exhibition, to raise money for charities. After 10 years, Harry Winston donated the Hope Diamond to Smithsonian Institution, where it is on display till today as the venue's premier attraction.
1) Hall Sapphire and Diamond Necklace, designed by Harry Winston: exquisite necklace with 36 deep blue sapphires from Sri Lanka (195 carats) surrounded by a sparkling sea of 435 diamonds (84 carats)
2) Bismarck Sapphire Necklace, designed by Cartier: 98 carat sapphire from Burma, surrounded by 312 diamonds
3) Logan Sapphire: This 423 carat stone from Sri Lanka is one of the world's largest known faceted blue sapphires.
We of course learnt of many more things, not included in this blog. But I just wanted to share the more interesting displays so let us move on to the next museum.
After spending about 2 hours brushing up on our knowledge on natural history, we forged ahead with our tour next door to the National Museum of American History.
This miniature 5-storey house was designed and decorated by Faith Bradford. Built on a scale of 1 inch to 1 foot, this house has copious rooms for Mr and Mrs Peter Doll, their 10 children, 2 visiting grandparents, 5 servants and 20 pets. With that many people and animals, I guess 23 rooms is a necessity.
Google's corkboard server (1999)
"In 1998, Stanford University graduate students Larry Page and Sergey Brin launched Google, a web-search company, in a garage in Menlo Park, California. To maximize searching at the lowest cost, Page and Brin built 30 racks of servers, including this one, from cheap parts. Each server row use corkboard insulating pads and had eight 22-gigabytes hard drives and four personal computers."
"The American Presidency - A Glorious Burden" exhibition
The manner in which a new president arrives at the Capitol to take the oath of office and then returns to the White House is decided with great care. Every gesture and decision will be analyzed by the public and the press.
Should the party follow traditions or set a new precedent? Should the carriage be fancy or plain? Should the dress be conservative or fashionable? Should the president ride back to the White House in regal splendor or walk as a man of the people? The impression made sets the tone for the next four years in office.
Ulysses S. Grant purchased this carriage from Meeks Carriage and Wagon Repository during his first term in the White House and rode in it to his second inauguration in 1873.
Abraham Lincoln was the first American president to be assassinated. After he was fatally attacked at the Ford Theatre in 1865, Lincoln achieved the adoration and popular appeal that eluded him in real life, as a martyr for national unity and equality.
"The First Lady" exhibition would be a great supplement as it explores the role each First Lady played to make it their own, while contributing to the success of their respective husbands' administrations.
"Within These Walls" would make for a thought-provoking gallery about ordinary people who made history through everyday choices and personal sacrifices to make America great.
After the enthralling spectacle of American History, we left the building at 530pm and roamed the roads of DC, lined with iconic buildings. The first one we saw as we stepped out of the museum was The Capitol.
The United States Capitol
Home of the United States Congress for over two centuries, since the first session in 1800
Its cornerstone was laid by the very first President Washington in 1793. Since then, this monumental building has weathered the calamity of natural disasters and several wars. Today, this imposing edifice stands tall as a focal point of the government's legislative branch, covering a vast floor area of about 16.5 acres.
Archives of the United States of America
Original copies of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights - basically the vital documents that defined the United States of America - are on display in the main chamber.
Guardianship
A 1935 sculpture exhibited outside the archives
On this site in 1814, "The Star-Spangled Banner" was first sung in public.
WOW - such a profoundly surreal feeling to be standing there, trying to imagine what it must have looked like in those days
"Grand Army of the Republic" Memorial to honor the founder of the Grand Army of the Republic, a fraternal organization for union veterans.
The Spy Museum, located across the nondescript looking FBI headquarter
We didn't go in though :D
But I hear it's pretty interesting with interactive displays, littered with lipstick pistols and invisible ink letters, in an effort to maintain that cool spy image.
But I hear it's pretty interesting with interactive displays, littered with lipstick pistols and invisible ink letters, in an effort to maintain that cool spy image.
Madame Tussauds Wax Museum
I absolutely have no idea why the museum was housed in such an awkward little corner, in front of a much bigger building with quite different vibes. What an interesting juxtaposition. Just one of the attractions for you if you are wondering how to pass time in the city's administrative capital, after possibly getting an information overload from all those visits on the National Mall.
Ford Theatre
Despite serving as the venue for various stage performances since the early 1860s, Ford Theatre was most well-known as the unfortunate site of the Lincoln's assassination in 1865, committed in the Presidential box, in full view of the packed theatre audience nonetheless.
The mortally wounded President was then carried across the street to the Petersen House, where he passed away the next morning.
We were quite famished by then so our destination was dinner at Chinatown.
Fun Fact: The signboards were both in English and Chinese! Even those of Starbucks, McDonald's and Chipotle!!!
Don't underestimate this ordinary looking small shop. It was highly recommended (according to the Internet search) and when we tried their famed handmade noodles, we were sold!
Washington DC was not known as the city with a vibrant nightlife and we headed back to our hotel around 9pm. When we reached our station, we stopped by the supermarket to buy some fruits. Lo and behold, there was a torrential downpour when we were waiting at the cashier! After waiting about 15 minutes with the hope of rain stopping, we just ran to the hotel. Our clothes were soaked and a warm shower was more than welcome for us.
Adios!
xoxo
Miss N
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