Thursday, February 24, 2011

The National Mall and Smithsonian Institute

Being a Filipino, I am used to the Mall that we have in the Philippines: restaurants, department stores, boutiques, gift shops, cinemas. Here in DC, the Mall is none of what we know about malls. It is a long stretch of land surrounded by Smithsonian Museums. It is in the East wing of the 4-sided sights of the DC area. On the leftmost portion of the Mall is the Washington Monument, while in the right, you will see the towering beauty of the Capitol.

View from the Mall

The Smithsonian Institution's 19 museums are the major sights to see in the mall. Whether you're fascinated in American History, art, archaeology or space, Smithsonian offers a museum that best fits your taste. So far, I have seen 4 out of its 19, and I shall try to visit all these museums in my stay here in DC.

According to the Smithsonian, before anything else, a visitor should plan his visit to the museums by visiting the Smithsonian Castle first to get the necessary maps and tourist guides.

The Smithsonian Castle

So far I have visited The American History Museum, Freer and Sackler Galleries, and Air and Space Museums. As to why I decided to tour these museums first, I have absolutely have no idea. :)

Some pictures:

The National Mall's left end: Washington Monument




The Other Side: The U.S. Capitol Building


No comments :