Visited this small museum and memorial that honors Jewish American Military Veterans…read more Starting with the American Revolutionary War, Jewish Americans have contributed to keeping America a place where the "free" in freedoms have been earned. Freedom comes at a cost and Jewish Americans have fought for peace, for equal rights and the right of independence. Jews in the American Military can be tracked from the colonial era to modern conflicts. Learn about the challenges that military veterans faced in battles from the Revolutionary War to the Civil War to World War I and World War II as well as the antisemitism that they had to overcome to rise in the ranks. It was interesting to learn how immigrants from Eastern and Central Europe volunteered to fight as proud American soldiers in the countries that they had left behind. They chose to loyally serve their country as citizens that had been integrated into the fiber of America. In fact, the Jewish Welfare Board estimated that 550,000 Jewish Americans served in the US Armed Forces between 1941 and 1945. Echoes of the Maccabees: Restoring the Synagogues after WWII. So many lives lost. Communities destroyed. By the summer of 1945, the war was over in Europe, but how do you bring back a sense of survival? Synagogues had been defaced, destroyed, burned to the ground or used as storage facilities. American Jewish service members played a key role in trying to repair the losses and restore a place for those who had survived the Holocaust. The servicemen and servicewomen prayed at these synagogues, hoping that someone would come back to reclaim and rebuild a community. It didn't always happen. More conflicts. More wars. Korea. Vietnam. Operation Desert Storm. Operation Desert Shield. Operation Enduring Freedom. Although I have never served, I have family members that have been deployed. I thank them and other members of the military for their service. I know that freedom is not free. I am grateful for all of the opportunities that I have been afforded, despite challenges faced. Note: This museum is a bit "hidden." We went before meeting a Yelp friend. Check the hours and check for special events.

Hidden throughout D.C. are smaller, lesser-known museums worth a visit. The National Museum of…read moreAmerican Jewish Military is no exception. Open Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., admission is free. There are two floors with several exhibits about Jewish Americans role in protecting the country through various wars. If you read through everything, it should take you an hour to take it all in.

Focuses on soldier history, uniforms, aircraft, and high impact displays…read more Beautiful meeting space that can be rented.

So we went to the National Guard Museum and Washington DC and it was really good for being small. I…read morewas really educated by the National Guard because I was confused with the reserves and the National Guard the reserves are federal and the National Guard state. We took some pictures and my boy got to hold his grandfather's gun And take a picture next to the grand great granddad that died in 2007 and the boy was born in 2012 so he never knew his great granddad but there are plenty of books and a Netflix special on his great granddad Felix Larry Sparks!

One of my favorite national museums…read more The museum makes a strong first impression, with sculptures and a rushing waterfall surrounding the exterior. Inside, the soaring ceilings create a grand sense of scale. The walkways were accessible and easy to navigate, though the elevators were a bit slow. During our visit, the museum was not particularly crowded, allowing us to take our time reading the exhibits and fully appreciating the displays. What I appreciated most was the museum's emphasis on the differing perspectives of American Indians and Americans throughout history. Many exhibits presented both viewpoints side by side, highlighting how dramatically interpretations of the same events could differ. The timelines were thoughtfully organized and I learned about numerous Indigenous nations and communities that were rarely discussed in my prior education. The Americans exhibit was particularly memorable. It explored the representation of American Indians throughout popular culture, including television, sports mascots, advertising, food branding, and more. At the end, visitors were invited to write postcards reflecting on examples of Indigenous representation in modern life. Pocahontas was a recurring figure throughout the exhibit and I gained a much deeper understanding of both her historical significance and how her story has been commercialized and reinterpreted over time. The Nation to Nation exhibit focused more on cultural and historical artifacts, showcasing clothing, household items, tools, and musical instruments. Meanwhile, Water's Edge explored the importance of water through both artistic expression and its relationship to Indigenous life and traditions. The gift shop was easily one of the best I encountered among the national museums. It featured a wide variety of unique and meaningful souvenirs, and the lighter crowds meant several items sold out elsewhere were still available here. I was surprised by some of the lukewarm reviews, as I found this museum engaging and informative from start to finish. It easily filled two to three hours and I left with a far greater appreciation for Indigenous history and perspectives. I would love to see future exhibits further explore Native American music, art, and cultural expression.

I came for the taco and stayed for the art! After researching a few places for lunch, the reviews…read moreof the Mitsitam cafe here were amazing for their fry bread taco. The museum itself is gorgeous, inside and out. The grounds area has lots of plants and shrubbery to observe. It's kind of serene and takes you away from the capital craziness which isn't too far away. Inside, you'll find multiple floor with displays about history, conflict, and art. I took the elevator to the top then worked my way down each level via the stairs. It's an awesome place and the gift shop had some of the coolest stuff too. It's right next to the super popular Air and Space Museum so if you don't feel like walking too far after exploring that one, check this one out.

A wonderful museum. Very easy to get to via metro or if you come in by Amtrak. It's an easy walk…read moreacross the street. Once inside you will go through security. The build itself is beautiful. There are a few floors to navigate. I took the opportunity to send mail from the actual post office inside and purchase some stamps. I also purchased a few postcards and sent those via mail to have the stamping from the museum. The museum itself is pretty big. There are various hands-on activities and a few to look, see and read. All the staff were amazing. They make their rounds, and assist whenever. Bathrooms were clean, and quiet.

Definitely a fun stop in D.C. The exhibits are nice, and to see the entire history of printed…read morestamps was amazing. I wish we had more time to browse through all the stamps they have archived. There is Ana activity where you can get five used stamps, from the past, to start a collection. It was fun to sift through them. Make sure to get there before the stamp store closes at 5pm. Then you can purchase the current stamp designs. The gift shop is separate and has some nice first print covers and a mixed bag of used stamps if you're just starting out collecting.

Representing Feb. 2023 (1 of 2) in scrapbook series is The Phillips Collection. I visited Phillips…read moreCollection one time then. I had bought tickets to their Phillips after 5 event, which always occurs on the 1st Thursday of the month, for the 1st Thursday of November 2016. So, why if I had tickets for November 2016 that it's representing February 2023? In late October 2016, I thought this Phillips Collection sounded cool, bought the tickets, and got a date to go. That Thursday morning, my date canceled saying she was sick. While sitting at my office in Columbia, MD, I was stewing with annoyance, anger, & figuring what to do. Initially, I thought I'd have to send mass texts to get someone to go. But I was like, I don't even want to schlep from my office to DC that afternoon even it wasn't going to be the date I had intended it on being. I called the manager that November 3, 2016 morning, and manager said I could apply the tickets to any Phillips after Five in the future. What I didn't realize in November 2016 that it would be more than 6 years later that I would redeem. In late January 2023, I noticed a Meetup group going to Phillips after Five on February 2, 2023. I was like this is the catalyst to finally redeem my tickets. I emailed them this responding to the October 30, 2016 email with the ticket: Sent: Thursday, January 26, 2023 12:01 PM "Hi, back on October 30, 2016 I had purchased two tickets for the Phillips Collection First Thursday for November 3, 2016. On that Thursday morning, November 3rd, my date canceled on me, and I was thinking I don't really want to scramble to find someone else to go last minute. So, I called, spoke with I guess the manager, and decided I would cancel, which the person I spoke with said that feel free to use at any First Thursday in the future. Well, I've tentatively decided to use my ticket for this next Thursday, February 2, 2023. How will this work? Do I just show up and give them the print out of the original ticket?" Thursday, January 26, 2023 4:24 PM "Thank you for reaching out to the Phillips Collection about your inquiry on Phillips after Five. Even though your ticket was purchased seven years ago, due to the general blanket statement made in the past, we will honor this request. When you arrive for the event on February 2nd, please give your name at the will call desk and they will check you in. In the future, when you are unable to attend an event and want to reschedule to a different date, we request that you let us know what date you want to reschedule to in advance. On the whole, we do not keep raincheck tickets in the queue indefinitely." My experience on Thursday, February 2, 2023: I was impressed with the multi-story building with lots of cool artwork from Impressionist (speaking of being impressed) to various contemporary works. There was a band, who was good. They also had making friendship bracelets. I had fun, met some new people from Meetup group. Overall, this was a fun night. A few of us even went to a nearby bar for drinks/food; so I got back to my car by Metro parked in Rockville pretty late for a Thursday night. Conclusion: I appreciated Phillips Collection worked with me in November 2016 for my initial request, and they honored what I paid for in late January 2023 even though likely a different manager. I always had in the back of my head one of these Thursdays I should use this, but going to DC on a Thursday night after work was never convenient and never had a particular catalyst to go. Also, then there was some interruption with Covid further pushing back what theoretically might've been an earlier timeline to have visited. This is a cool place, definitely worth a visit!

I used to be a member at the Phillips; this is probably the way to go for the local as entrance is…read moreexpensive and exhibits rotate. On my return, I found one floor closed, but there will usually be something under installation somewhere in a museum of this size. While I was not seeking any specific tour or event, I found a tour guide, who essentially just gave an introduction to one painting. It was engaging, though there are often events of greater significance. The museum is an old mansion, and in some areas poses challenges for those with mobility limitations, people of a sort which I saw plenty of on my visit. Typically you can find an elevator if you look hard enough. The collection is eclectic and often defies description. I find a significant number of their pieces I either hate or am bored by, but the overall experience is aesthetically distinctive and it's not what you'd get downtown. Outside of its pure museum experience, the Phillips offers a lot in the community, from events to kids to engagement for those dealing with dementia. A walk down to the basement levels yields a vista of local non-professional art. I appreciate the commitment to the community.

I really enjoyed visiting this museum. It's a small place and the tour was about half an hour, but…read moreI learned a lot of cool facts about medicinal history and how sick people were treated in the past. They preserved a lot of old artifacts, medicines, apothecary tools and furnitures which was really cool to see and learn about. They also compare some of the practices from back then to present day which was interesting to learn. They have a nice little gift shop too. A really interesting place to visit in Old town Alexandria!

Might update later but wanted to share that I finally visited this place. It's wild that I have…read morelived nearby for so many years and have just walked by without noticing. It is a small place, but very interesting snapshot of what an Apothecary would have looked like approximately 100 years ago. They still have all the medicine that was in the jars when they closed, on display. I didn't go upstairs yet, but the downstairs is fascinating by itself. Free for Alexandria City residents but otherwise $5 or $8 depending if you want to tour upstairs (specific times). You can also go inside and stay in the lobby area which is also a gift stop without paying admission. As a herbalist, it was very cool to see cinnamon being prescribed alongside arsenic and marijuana - all plants have their purposes! Haha. I liked that the tour guides seemed passionate about the history of the place. We discussed my concern that the gender and race of the apothecary owners allowed them to profit off of the ancestral knowledge and traditional medicine in a way that was denied to women, BIPOC people, and BIPOC women in particular, who often worked in the field under the threat of death and/or imprisonment. Anyways, I am working to change that. I will definitely be back!

I visited the house for free the 1st weekend of June during the Dupont-Kalorama Museums Consortium…read moreamong the 5 museums. Off the beaten path, Woodrow Wilson's house is next-door to all the noisy renovations of Jeff Bezo's multi-million dollar home (former Textile Museum). Nice to still have a piece of history preserved! The Georgian style house is beautiful and cozy with 3 floors and a nice backyard. Aside from the rugs, all the furniture, paintings, decor, and artifacts are original to the house as Woodrow Wilson spent his last few years here after he left the White House. Sadly due to the heavy foot traffic on the Consortium weekend, there isn't a tour offered. Would have been helpful to have labels on the artifacts and history boards detailing each room. There were only a couple of docents in the house disseminating information upon request. A guided tour would be quite useful. My favorite parts of the house and fun facts: - Wilson paid lavishly $150K for the house, which was double its worth back in 1921 due to his interest and notoriety. He funded the house by using all his Noble Peace Prize of $50K and with the help of his buddies chipping in. After Wilson passed away in 1924, his wife Edith, lived in the house for 4 decades and donated the house upon her death to the National Trust for Historic Preservation, turning it into a museum as it stands today. - The Drawing Room on the 2nd floor is the most beautiful room with ornate decor - portrait of Woodrow Wilson, impressive floor to ceiling bookcase, plush sofa and chairs, crown moldings, and a marble fireplace. - Don't miss on Wilson's Luggage Trunks tucked on the 3rd floor. Wilson used the dumb waiter as an elevator to transport his luggage trunks to the top floor as his health was deteriorating. Take a peek at the ornate designs on the fancy trunks! - Get a glimpse of Wilson's spacious and ornate Bedroom and his wife's beautiful coat collection on the top floor! It was customary back then for spouses to have separate bedrooms as Edith Wilson slept in an adjacent bedroom (not open for public viewing). The Woodrow Wilson house takes about a 1/2 hour for a quick walk-through and is much smaller than the Anderson home, Hillwood Estate, and Heurich house. The guided tour takes an hour or so and will be back for it!

Wonderful tour of a beautiful home. Very historic. A snowy…read moreday made the visit even more memorable..I plan on a spring visit hopefully.

I like SAAM because the works are modern, recent. There are traditional paintings here, to be sure,…read morebut also photography; art produced by self-taught artists; "arts & crafts"; creations made for specific eras, such as New Deal, Gilded Age; media art; etc. It's a lovely hodgepodge of America, and certainly not stuffy. I often feel like a kid when observing the exhibitions. The pieces are sometimes playful, sometimes eccentric, at times sinister, but always thought-provoking. Does it speak to you or doesn't it? You get to decide! We all live in the world of the present--it's a pretty crazy place, too. The art at SAAM represents this to a certain extent, perhaps more relatable than you might expect. Give SAAM a try. It has a little bit of everything.

I'll be the first to admit that I'm pretty much uncultured swine when it comes to art. I'm not a…read morefan of art where I can't distinguish whether it was done by an amateur or professional. I dislike when art is more about the concept or the context over skill and beauty. I understand that beauty's in the eye of the beholder, but I'm just saying that this beholder was unimpressed. I will say that a portion of the museum was closed - maybe that's where the more impressive art pieces were held. If you aren't a fan of contemporary or modern art, I don't think you'd enjoy this museum.