Any ideas for Philadelphia and Washington?

Midge

Midge

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Staff member
I am going to Philadelphia and Washington D.C. the week after next, and was wondering if any of you have any advice for me for *must-sees*, maybe not so well-known museums (anything to do with fashion?), vintage shops or whatever... :D

If all goes well - considering that I am flying out on one of the days that British Airways has announced the strike for (I'm sorry, but :flaming: to that court that allowed the so-called "industrial action" ), and that the volcano in Iceland is still spewing - I'm flying to Philadelphia first and will be attending the last Gene doll convention there. I'll be staying two more days than the convention takes, so I think there should be enough time to see all that's important.
I'm then taking the train to Washington, where I know I'll mostly be visiting the museums, museum nerd that I am :hysterical:. The National Gallery is one thing that I'll be visiting for sure, and I'll see which other of the well-known museums I'll pick.

But if you have any ideas, things that might be overlooked - please let me know - thanks! :spin:

Karin
 
Gettysburg in PA is a wonderful town to explore. Alot of American history there.

In DC I would recommend all the basics like the Smithsonians, National Museum of Art, Washington Monument and the reflecting Pools, Lincoln Memorial and Jefferson Memorial. Oh and there is of course the White House and Capital building if your interested.

I love it back there. I wanted to plant myself in Gettysburg and never leave, LOL! The husband said "no" though after living in DC for 12 years. Oh well.

Anyhow, have a fabulous time!!
 
The National Gallery in D.C. is fantastic. I have not been there but I have heard wonderful things about the Costume and Textile collection at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. You might want to see what is on display while you'll be there.

Linn
 
Thanks! Yes, the National Gallery is definitely a must for me. I'm a huge fan of the old Dutch and Flemish masters (mostly the portraits and the landscapes), and I know they must have quite a lot in that way - the main reason to add a few days in DC to the trip to Philly was just this :eureka: . And I will certainly walk around a bit to see the monuments etc. My hotel is thankfully right in the middle of it all.

Gettysburg sounds interesting too - I wasn't thinking about this, I admit. If I have time... I might take a tour from Philadelphia.

The Philadelphia Museum of Art looks great too... too bad, I'm just a few days too early for their Renoir exhibition. But I can see they have lots of other exhibitions that look great. I'll definitely need time for this place!

Karin
 
The National Museum of History has an exhibit featuring American First Ladies. I haven't seen it since they took down the old one, but lots of clothing is included. Actually, there are textiles all through that museum.

Th Arts and Industries Building is well worth a visit. The building itself is fascinating as it is the second oldest building in the museum group.

I agree, the National Gallery is a must-see.

The rest of the Smithsonian depends upon your interests and the amount of time you have. Both the National Gallery and the American History Museum can take a full day to someone who is really interested. So pick wisely. The Freer Gallery (and the Sackler) is stunning, especially if you love Oriental art. The Indian Museum is incredible, but again, an interest in Native American people adds to the experience. And the American Art Museum has some real treasures, as does the Hirshhorn. It really is an art lover's paradise!

Skip the White House...is it even open to the public now?? You see very, very little and it's just not worth the time. Most of the other Government builds are pretty dry, except the FBI, which is fun.

I also love Ford's Theatre.
 
Originally posted by fuzzylizzie


Skip the White House...is it even open to the public now?? You see very, very little and it's just not worth the time. Most of the other Government builds are pretty dry, except the FBI, which is fun.

I also love Ford's Theatre.
Click to expand...

The White House can be toured, but there is a 3 month wait. They do so because of the backlog, but mainly because all guests are properly screened/background checked nowadays.

As far as other sites, some relatives came back from D.C. and said the Spy Museum was a trip highlight. There are some unusual cold war gadgets, but also lots of interactive stuff - you get to climb through some sort of faux ventilation ducts just like movie spies. At least that's how they described it.

Lizzie, is that the one you were talking about?
 
The Renwick Gallery c(raft and decorative arts) is amazing, it's next door to Blair House across from the White House.

I second Ford's Theatre - the museum down stairs and the theatre itself if they aren't having dress rehearsal or a performance.

Also - find the statue of Albert Einstein. Wait until there aren't any people around. Stand at the center of the bronze circle in the ground that shows the night sky, then face Albert. Say hello to Albert.
Sometimes there is an echo and he says hello back.

The National Geographic has their office and a museum that's pretty cool, too. The National Aquarium was great. A bit hard to find - it's in the basement of the Dept of Commerce on 14th St.

Hollis
 
Suzanne, too bad indeed! But I don't drive at all - I don't even have a license (not that I didn't try but I decided I had no talent whatsoever, there's enough dangerous drivers around anyway, I can't even afford a car and I usually don't need one either, living in the city as I do now).

Oh well, maybe another time, you never know. Maybe sometime if I go on a trip with my parents again. My mom has a penpal who lives somewhere in the area too. You never know ;).

Karin
 
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