Tag: smithsonian

Bespoke Tours Tailored to You

M's Adventures

Did you know that you can request a tour on a particular subject at the National Gallery of Art? One of my friends organized a tour on fashion in art.

Our tour was all in the west wing (non-modern art) of the National Gallery of Art in downtown Washington, DC.

We learned about society, economics, history, painting techniques, and a few saucy elements of fashion.

Tours last about an hour. If you want to have a tour, contact the Smithsonian.

Before or after your tour, you can stop by the cafe and enjoy the ambience a bit more while having a treat or much needed cup of coffee.

Other than this tour, you can also ask for tours on women in the arts, IM Pei, or “dress like art” which I have to say was lots of fun.

Brilliant Exiles

M's Adventures

If you can find 14 friends, you can book a private tour. Otherwise, just wander around and read the labels, then google more info… and repeat. This exhibit shows how many American women, artists, dancers, lesbians, African Americans, writers, and freedom lovers moved to Paris to find the freedom to be themselves.

Learn about Josephine Baker, Gertrude Stein, and many other women who were trailblazers in the women’s movement.

This exhibit runs through February 2025 and entrance is free at the National Portrait Gallery.

Tourist In DC

M's Adventures

Here is a list of things I recommend doing as a tourist to DC.

National Postal Museum: It is part of the Smithsonian (so free entrance) and located next to the main train station, Union Station, in DC.

Air and Space museum out by Dulles

Walk the mall

Walk Georgetown

The Iwo Jima memorial

Arlington National Cemetery which is large and also houses trees from all over the world.

Old Town Alexandria

Tour the White House

Smithsonian (there are over 18 museums)

Spy Museum

Good Things About Living in Washington, DC

M's Adventures

As I did in Dhaka, Bogota, Lima, and Rome, I will write a couple of articles about the good and not so good things about living in the Washington, DC, area. First, some of the good things.

Free drinking water. You can drink the tap water.

High speed internet.

International cuisine. I will write more about this later, but in the DC area, one can get good Vietnamese, Ethiopian, Korean, Chinese, Indian, Pakistani, Salvadoran, Japanese… you get the idea.

International people. Many embassies are located here.

Public transportation. Between the train, bus, and light rail, you can get many places for 3-10 dollars.

Availability of things – Amazon is sometimes delivered the next day or faster, and some shops are open 24-7.

Free museums, free concerts, free meetings, and free libraries. The Smithsonian is a collection of 21 museums and almost all (I think only the one in New York charges an entrance fee) are free to enter.

National Airport (DCA). Having an airport on a metro line and within a mile of DC is gold. Dulles is also on the metro but 25 miles away.

People like dogs. Oh, wait, that’s not just here. But I still think it’s a good thing about being here.

Often the dog treats are free.

Hidden Museum in the City of Free Museums

M's Adventures

A non-stereotypical photo of a gaucho.
A non-stereotypical photo of a gaucho.

One of the things I enjoy about Washington, DC, is that almost all the museums are free. Most of the big museums are part of the Smithsonian but there are lots of smaller unknown museums like the one at the Organization of American States. Located near where Virginia Avenue meets Constitution Avenue, this small building has a great garden and some pretty tiles, plus a rotating exhibit. I went to see the photo exhibit about identity. Although the exhibit was Argentinian, a discussion of stereotypes is relevant to all nationalities, including Bangladesh and Colombia. My mental image of Bangladesh before I lived there was one of cyclones and floods. Colombia suffers from other stereotypes.

Every little girl and boy has their own knife for the barbecue.
Every little girl and boy has their own knife for the barbecue.

My photos are taken from the photo catalog because I did not have my camera with me. But, flash photography is allowed in the temporary exhibit. I was just amazed that they were giving away the color catalog for free. Not all the photos in the photo exhibit were of people but I thought they were the best. I’ll write more about art and photography in a later post. Certainly once I have been to the famous gold museum in Bogota. For now, these photographs allowed for a little armchair travel.

The cover shows a typical delivery "truck" in Argentina.
The cover shows a typical delivery “truck” in Argentina.