The Old Stomping Grounds

One of the things I wanted to do while visiting Maryland was to go to The Mall in DC.  I walked into the Wheaton Metro and it all began to feel familiar again.  I had my Smart Trip card from last year with money on it, so I was all set and just needed to check for the balance on the card.  

Wheaton Metro

Red Line to Shady Grove

The weather was a bit warm and humid but otherwise a nice day.  I met Holly outside the Museum, which happens to be right beside the Canadian Embassy.  

Rotunda the Canadian Embassy

Gotta love that Coat of Arms

Freedoms in the US Constitution

Entrance to the Newseum

After you enter, they direct you to the bottom floor where there is an orientation video you can watch.  Here they also have a few sections of the Berlin Wall as well as Checkpoint Charley.  

Sign that was in Berlin at the border.

Check Point Charley

Check Point Charley from the top

Close up of the Berlin Wall

Check Point Charley and Berlin wall exhibit

It was a good visit and I would recommend the Newseum if you are interested in the history of journalism.  There was an exhibit on the the years JF Kennedy was US president.  One of the levels I did enjoy was the newspapers from various events, many of the events happened in the US. 

Hall where all the newspapers were.

One of the exhibits was about the reporters covering the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York, Washington, DC and the plane that landed in Pennsylvania.   

Part of the communications antennae that was on the World Trade Center

 

It is a bit expensive to go to the Newseum, but we did spend about 4+ hours wandering through the various levels.  There was a memorial to the journalists who have lost their lives doing their work.  They had an exhibit of the Pulitzer Prize photos along with a video of what the circumstances were that prompted the photographer to take those pictures.  There are a couple of interactive sections.  It was a good visit, but I have to say, I felt very inundated by US history.  

US Capitol

White House

Lincoln Memorial and WW2 Memorial 

It was good to visit the Mall.  I sure do miss not having that within  30 minute metro ride.  I'm glad I was able to make that visit.