museum

At PoP’s request, I went to the National Building Museum. In the afternoon. In jeans. No ballgowns or tuxes in sight. Weird.

I had never been there during the day before. Well, I had once, but that was to tour the space for a fundraiser I was throwing. (we did not ultimately use the venue) But other than that, the Building Museum has always been to me a place where obligatory, formal-wear-required parties and balls and benefits take place, where all that there is to look forward to is the open bar and the hope that there will be passed hors d’oeuvres more interesting than mini-crabcakes. So when PoP asked, I gave an enthusiastic “Sure!” – especially since the very next day, I was meeting a friend for lunch at Eat First.

After lunch on Friday, we wandered over there. My friend, an employee at the GAO, said that she’d been inside many times. After all, on cold nights, it was an excellent (and warm) shortcut from her office to the Judiciary Square metro. And of course, those cookies at Firehook are fantastic. I asked if she knew what sort of stuff was in there, and other than the fountain and the columns, with which I was already familiar, she didn’t have much more of a clue than I.

To be fair, a former colleague’s wife works there. I’ve never met her, but I asked him once, “So what kind of stuff is there,” and he said, “You know, architectural stuff. An exhibit on DC. A ton of empty office space that they’re looking to rent.”

When we walked in, it was clear they were setting up for an event. Not the kind of black tie thing I was fairly used to, but something else, with a lot of booths. We later found out that it was for Discover Engineering Family Day, an event put on my the National Engineers Week Foundation and the Museum. Not ever having been especially prone to science, or math, or anything engineer-y, my response to learning this was, “Seriously?” In reality though, I wish I’d known about this in time to let all of you know beforehand (the event took place on Saturday the 21^st) because it looked really cool. The woman I spoke to was from the National Science Foundation. They were in the process of constructing a tank where they would be simulating tsunamis! AND, where you could construct your own mini structures, to put in the line of the tsunami to be destroyed! When I excitedly explained how that was pretty much the coolest thing ever because tsunamis are my favorite natural disaster, the nice lady invited me back for the event. Unfortunately my extreme discomfort in the presence of one child, let alone hundreds, prevented that from happening – but damn, it seemed cool. Continues after the jump. (more…)

Ed. Note: The following post was written by Raz.  You’ll always know if a contributor wrote the post from the title.

Entertainment is a tricky area to be thrifty in. A night out on the town always involves some form of spending. Here are some of my ideas for fun activities that are free or inexpensive.

1. Movie Nights. With Netflix and the Red Box at Giant, there are numerous inexpensive ways to rent DVDs. Grab a movie, invite friends over, and have a movie night.
2. Beer/Wine Tasting Event. Similar to a potluck, invite a bunch of friends for a beer or wine tasting. Have everyone bring a different type of beer or wine. As the host, provide note cards so people can write about what they like, and provide a few snacks.
3. Game Night. My friends and I do these, and they are always a lot of fun. You actually don’t even need to buy games to host a game night. My friends just did one where they did Pictionary with a white board. Everyone wrote down something to draw on a piece of paper and put it in a hat. People then chose a slip out of the hat and drew it on the white board. I missed out on the event because I was sick, but apparently it was pretty hilarious with the ideas people contributed and the drawings they attempted. Other game favorites are cards, Apples to Apples, Catchphrase and Jenga. Continues after the jump. (more…)

Since its debut in 2004, I have been a fan of the building that houses the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI). Although I had been inside, lured by friends who insisted that the NMAI cafeteria is absolutely the best place to eat on the Mall (it is), I had not yet explored the museum itself. An opportunity presented, therefore, when my daughter’s teacher was looking for chaperones for a class field trip. Subsequently, my first official visit to the NMAI involved a cramped ride in a yellow school bus and the company of 25 enthusiastic fifth graders.

As dramatic as the exterior of the building is, the interior is similarly fantastic, with entry into a vast open atrium. The open design embraces the possibility for experiential learning through performance and event space. Native American themes permeate the architecture and interior, not in an overt sense, but in references to natural materials and color palette, organic forms, the use of circular spaces, and significant ties to directional points.

We enjoyed a film presented in the round, with projection on small screens at the center and on the ceiling. The rich images were of daily life in various Native cultures, all emphasizing connection to the natural environment and sense of community.

Displays span the geographic and climatic conditions of the wide range of cultures that exist among Native American people. An effort to honor the history of each of the entities is balanced by a permanent exhibit that focuses on contemporary Native life. The multi-media exhibits include artifacts, photographs, models, music, and video presentations.

My favorite part of the interior of the museum was the collections exhibit that features handmade tools, pottery, dolls and icons, beadwork, arrowheads, and a history of the use of gold. The exterior of the museum and the related landscaping is worth spending some time appreciating, as well. In my notes, I wrote down a quote by Laura Lee George, a Hupa Indian:

In their prayers, people ask for the trees to have plenty of acorns. We also pray for a lot of fish and deer, for the world to be balanced, for babies to grow older in a good way, and for the people to walk in a balanced way on this earth.

Well this was a cool find. Located at 2112 R Street, NW is Fondo del Sol Visual Arts Center. Sadly it was closed when I stopped by but I was able to pick up a brochure that says:

“Fondo del Sol Visual Arts Center is a non-profit, bilingual, community-based museum composed of artists, filmmakers, educators, and community organizers, who share a common dedication to the art and cultural heritage of the people of the Americas and the American Diaspora. Fondo del Sol maintains 7 galleries and workshops, and a significant collection of pre-Colombian, santero and 20th century Latino & Caribbean art, as well as selected Afro-American works. In addition the museum holds a major film and library archive.”

Sounds awesome. Has anyone checked it out before?

Hours are Wednesday – Saturday 1-5:30pm.

I also found a super cool house/gallery a couple doors down. Check it out after the jump. (more…)

I was lucky enough to get invited to a preview of the National Museum of Natural History’s newest exhibit on the ocean. Now, as some may know, I’m a huge tropical fish enthusiast so I was quite excited to check it out. The press material says:

“Taking over 5 years to develop, Sant Ocean Hall was created in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to show the ocean’s history and its importance in contemporary society. It is the only exhibition in the country devoted exclusively to a global view of the ocean.”

They have a terrific Web site that will give you a taste. The exhibit located at 10th and Constitution, NW opens to the public Saturday.

The space it self was completely renovated and filled with top of the line technology and exhibits. Pictured above you can see a replica of a north atlantic right whale named Phoenix. We were told there are only 400 living right whales today and the replica is of a living whale that was spotted only a few weeks ago. There were dozens of other exhibits and audio visual aids. The exhibits are divided into 12 distinct sections covering 23,000 square feet. One pretty cool feature was of a 24 foot giant squid preserved in a 1,800 gallon tank. There was also a cool 3-D “science on a sphere” globe that shows four narrated programs.

What I enjoyed most though was the 1,500 gallon Indo-Pacific coral reef aquarium.

If you want to learn everything there is to know about the Ocean then this is the exhibit for you. But just remember it’s not an aquarium. If you go in thinking you’ll find lots of fish you will be disappointed. I imagine this will be a great spot for thousands of 7th grade biology field trips. Lots of photos after the jump. (more…)