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| Dorthy's ruby slippers |
It is a known fact that I love museums (see blog Day 4 ). So to be in the
midst of so many FREE Smithsonian Museums was my heaven on earth! On our 25,000 step day we perused two (2)
history museums; The American History and
Natural History, two (2) art museums; The National Gallery of Art and
American Art & National Portrait Gallery and finally, the Air and Space
Museum. Everyone was on museum overload
except me. If it wasn’t for my foot cramps, my pounding legs, and my backache, I
would have continued until they closed
at 7.30 pm. This blog is about the two history
museums.
Reflection
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| Smithsonian Castle |
My traveling crew
gave me the honor of being the Pied
Piper of the museum tour but after
looking at the map at the end of the day, I realized that I was not that good
as a guide. Due to my guidance we back
tracked, increasing our walking , but shh don’t tell them because we saw a lot of
stuff!
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| Silly with exhibit |
The Museum of American History had something for
everyone. The men in our group focused on "The
Price of Freedom” exhibit which gave
brief overviews of all the US wars up to
the present. Here, I learned something new
about the important role of nurses during the civil war! ( side bar: I have a nursing background)
My girlfriend and I enjoyed the
presidential wives’ dresses. Even though
I thought it, I had to resist the urge to say," look how big First Lady X was
next to First Lady Y.” Then I pulled it together and tried to reflect on each ones contribution to the country.
Finally, we all enjoyed
the “American Stories” exhibit where Dorothy’s ruby slippers from the Wizard
of Oz movie and the Count from Sesame Street
were displayed.
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| Remembering the Count saying, V1,2, 3, ah- ah- ah |
The Natural History Museum is home to the famous 45.54 cart Hope
Diamond, the biggest diamond in the world (click for diamond history). Like most natural history museums,
it had its share of dinosaurs and
mummies but I have to admit that the Carnegie Natural History Museum in Pittsburgh has a better collection
of those. My friends enjoyed my story
about the “curse of the Hope Diamond”
and then we were off to the art museums- my favorite!
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| Hope Diamond |
Spiritual Reflection
(history in the Bible)
Then take care lest you forget the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery
(Deuteronomy 6:12)
Other Sources
Mystery of Hope Diamond
http://www.si.edu/encyclopedia_si/nmnh/hope.htm
Other Sources
Mystery of Hope Diamond
http://www.si.edu/encyclopedia_si/nmnh/hope.htm