Books and History (May 2011)

After the Smithsonian we went to the National Archives.  Sadly few pictures are allowed inside, so I only have a couple shots.  We didn't stay that long as we'd seen the documents there before. It was just nice to say that we'd seen them (like when I worked in the America I Am exhibit at the Cincinnati Museum Center and spent quite a few hours next to a copy of the Declaration of Independence)--but if I wanted to study the documents again I'd look up pictures on-line.  It wasn't worth the time standing in lines behind others to really study the documents, as important and as interesting as they are.  I did take some picture of the architecture though.  I enjoy the neoclassical style, it definitely affords many opportunities for interesting pictures.

 The line to get inside seemed a bit long (but Amy told me of when she'd visited during a busier season and seen it much longer), but it did move rather quickly.

At least I had time to take pictures of some of the displays on the walls.  I enjoy old artwork and documents, so some of them looked interesting, especially those from the 30s and 40s.  The Food is Ammunition shot is a closeup of the onion poster in the left-hand picture.

 I did take a picture of the light right before we entered, and then the only other picture I took inside was of a Tensa barrier, ;-).

Once we discovered that Library of Congress wasn't that far away Amy talked me into heading over there.  I didn't realize that it was as great a place as it is or I would have been the first one to suggest that we head over there.  They also have a really cool interactive system of computers that you activate with a free passport that you can pick up from the information desk.  In fact for a while after the trip I would go on-line to the LoC website and explore some more information using the account that I'd created there.  I didn't end up taking too many pictures, but of course some of them were of the building's architecture.  You weren't allowed to take pictures of the main reading room if I recall correctly, even though that was one of the best parts of the building.

 There were several exhibits on display including an old German bible and Thomas Jefferson's library.  Jefferson's library served as the core of the library.  You can see a display that features most of his original books along with identical editions for those books that have been replaced, and placeholder volumes for those lost books that haven't been replaced yet.

 I did even turn my camera upwards to capture a part of the ceiling at one point.  It was quite beautiful.

We did find some nice things in the gift shop (including two new glasses), but also some rather interesting things.  They remind me of action figures that my friend John Morey collects.  Prepare to be amazed!!  ;-)

After leaving the library we spotted the Capitol building.  However, there wasn't time to do anything more than grab a snapshot.  We headed back to the Metro station and headed back to our car.

During the course of the day we also walked past the Holocaust Museum down to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing.  We discovered that it wasn't open on the weekends, so our next trip is going to include at least one weekday because I really want to visit that facility.  I've never been inside--on my last trip to DC we spent so much time inside the Holocaust Museum that we didn't have time to investigate the Bureau.

~Matt

PS All of the pictures that I've posted from the DC trip are in this slideshow and Picasa album (along with a few others that didn't make it into any blog posts):