Hi, I enjoy this section of F Chat and thought it relevant that someone might be able to offer some advise as I should be in Washington in September for 2 or 3 days (all tourist time). How much time do you need to see the museum? Have never been to Washington and the museum is my first priority. ...I guess I should see where the Pres. lives too?
It takes a day to see each one. Both are worth seeing IMO. Getting to Udvar Hazy is tough. I rented a car at Union Station and drove out there.
In my opinion tHe Udvar Hazy annex is better than the Regular museum on the mall in DC. The main museum has a few really unique items but overall it's so kid oriented that I felt it wasnt all that great. It is a drive to get out to the annex but overall I found it to be much more adult oriented with many more interesting displays. I went during the week so not a lot of people there and spent maybe 5 hours at the annex.
They are both great. The annex has an amazing collection but the experience is a little dry. The A&S museum on the mall is a nicer experience as the material is presented in a nicer environment. And as cool as it is, especially the Apollo stuff, it could have and should have been done better. There should be wall sized video's playing near these otherwise static displays that would really showcase the amazing achievements these artifacts were part of. Don't miss the other collections on the mall or other main points in DC like the DofI and Library of Congress to name a few. Contact a congressman for tickets to get into Congress also. A LOT to see and do.
I like both, but prefer the smaller building of the one at the national mall. Plus, I like seeing the X15 and Apollo 11 capsule as well as Howard Hughes' H1 Racer (most beautiful plane imo). The Udvar center is also free admission, but parking is a bit pricey iirc. The line to get up the observation tower was long, but it was worth it. Seeing a 744 land next to the parking lot is cool. I think there is a bus/shuttle service that goes from a metro station, but I read they time them in such a way that you miss the bus just before arriving and the wait is another hour...I guess they try to get people to park ($$$) instead. I suggest seeing both. The Blackbird isn't that easy to see unless you know where to look (there are only 30 remaining in the world and 29 can be publicly viewed). And shuttle Discovery is now there, which I have to get around to go see myself. There is another Blackbird in northern Virginia, but it's at the CIA headquarters so good luck getting in there.
I probably shouldn't mention it but my name is on the Wall of Honor at the Dulles Museum and somewhere I have a painting in the Balloon and Airship Wing in the Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. Okay, I won't mention it.
SR 71 is on my all time favorites list. What a piece of engineering. Had a black M5 a few years back. Thought about getting an SR-71 vanity plate....something only a true geek could decipher....LOL
Taz, my group that I worked with in PD did the whole thing and sprung it on me as a surprise. I don't feel that I was worthy of it when there are people who have done so much more than I, but I except the gesture. A lot of tall company there.
to the OP, Washington is one of my favorite cities on par with Paris and London. There is so much to see and do. I have posted some highlights below and did this as much for myself as to help you and others who might going for a visit. The architecture of the govt. buildings is beautiful. See as much as you can with these places not even listed below, the National Cathedral, the National Zoo, the many little parks, Ford's Theater, and the Washington Nationals baseball field. I have never seen more stores to shop at than are located in Georgetown. A walk along the tidal basin in the evening near the Jefferson Memorial would be cool and to see the US Capitol building at night from East Capitol ST is an amazing sight. (research the unsafe area's before you go) http://www.biotech-now.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Capitol-at-night.jpg National Portrait Gallery Washington DC U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing - Washington, DC Tours National Gallery of Art - West Building Floor Plans Samuel C. Johnson IMAX Theater | Imax | Smithsonian Home | Ronald Reagan | Ronald Reagan ITCDC http://americantraintrips.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/washington-dc-union-station.jpg Library of Congress - a stunning building http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gHnt9a03_6o/TnQZ-FWLfFI/AAAAAAAAACA/AsIUC0Q4JTY/s640/library+of+congress.jpg http://www.barrywheeler.net/Portfolio/The-Jefferson-Building-of-The/i-LjGhSPn/0/L/Library%20of%20Congress%20Jefferson%20Great%20Hall%20-%20Web-L.jpg http://0.tqn.com/d/dc/1/0/9/P/1/16LibraryofCongress_2010.jpg http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8372/8488036255_b22d65e480_z.jpg
Kind of just thinking what could be/should be done in DC regarding museums and infrastructure. They claim they need some shovel ready projects. Years ago on one trip to DC I visited the Smithsonian Arts and Industries Building on the mall and it was jam packed with huge machines and a lot of Locomotives and similar heavy industry items. Really incredible stuff but just jammed in there in a confined space like an after thought. For many years it has been closed and the website says it will re-open next year, however I doubt it will still have those items. I would extend the Mall from the reflecting pool south down to a point level with the new Nationals baseball stadium. On either side would be new LARGE Museums some of which would be a Revolution Museum, a Civil War Museum, Foreign Wars Museum, Transportation Museum, Industrial Museum, A Car Museum, and a new additional Air & Space Museum. I would have huge high tech diorama's in all these museum's so you would think you were there at the major events etc........ hire Madame Tussaud's to make the people and Disney to build each scene with the real artifacts as highlights. The Air & Space addition would be huge 400 ft tall, an all glass center section housing the last Saturn V standing up where you walk under it in the lobby and around it every 30 ft on each of 10 floors lit up all night, all the collections from Udvar-Hazy and Wright-Patterson filling the wings of the building's floors including the Valkyrie and a moonscape diorama with Armstrongs' uniform being used. There really is no excuse to have so much stuff not being seen by the population and this would be a great way to educate everyone including school kids. First American Revolution museum set to open - CBS News Video
Extend the Mall south to line up with Nationals Park? There are a TON of federal office buildings there and south of that is the Southwest Waterfront neighborhood that has a lot of housing. I really don't see any of that happening given how much money it would take...I'm just glad they don't charge for admission at the museums (yet)...we'll see what happens with their budgets get a little more tight. I like the Saturn V idea, but they will never put it upright. The upright one in Huntsville is ridiculously tall and you can see it for miles when driving from Birmingham. DC wouldn't want anything getting in the way of the 555 ft tall Washington monument. The buildings in the city have a height restriction similar to Paris, which gives it a more open feel and like a small town vs. overbearing skyscrapers where people are always walking in shadows. Btw, DC is a very nice city to visit as a tourist. Affordable because so many things to see and do that don't cost any money. However, living there is the opposite. Way too expensive...I will have to go back to that lifestyle this summer for a year. Wish I could at least enjoy the museums, but my work hours are like 6AM-6PM x 6 days a week. Edit: And if you want to see locomotives, go to the B&O railroad museum in Baltimore. Try not to get shot
I don't live there but I have visited quite a few times and stayed in a hotel in that area south of the mall once. I also double checked on google maps before my post; bury the highway underground like Boston and on the west side of S Capitol street there really isn't much in a national perspective there. Cost, who cares, it's all funny money, better here where all americans could enjoy it for generations rather than pissing it down a rat hole in the MidEast or other places we have troops or on hacks pushing paper all day. How do you think we got what is there now that we have enjoyed. The Saturn V stands 363 ft tall - my fantasy called for a 400 ft tall building built like the Cowboys stadium or Eifel, 30 foot lobby underneath. The WM stands 550 ft tall. A lit up SV in glass at the end of the new Mall would not only look awesome but inspire everyone to do more, It was imo the greatest achievement of modern times and the US. just a thought
I grew up in Washington, D.C. until I was 11 years old. In the summer I used to walk from our NW neighborhood down to the Smithsonian and spend the day many times. I always went to the disgraceful Quonset hut type of shelter that posed as the Aviation Museum. There was an original SPAD with a bullet hole in the aluminum cover in the vertical tail, the Curtiss Army racer that Jimmy Doolittle flew. It had signatures and comments written on it from those who visited there. All displays were within reach of the idiots who felt the need take a chunk or to write their name on the priceless items of history. The hull of the NC-4 was in the corner. One had to go to the main castle of the Smithsonian to see the Spirit of St. Louis that was hung from the ceiling, far above those who could see it closely. I also saw the dinosaurs and other wonders there, I never grew tired of it.
"I probably shouldn't mention it but my name is on the Wall of Honor at the Dulles Museum and somewhere I have a painting in the Balloon and Airship Wing in the Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. Okay, I won't mention it." Well now I have something to look for in the balloon hall. Is the painting signed Bob? "Wasn't even aware there were 2 A&S museums in Wash" Believe it or not, there are actually 3! But you can't get into the Suitland MD location anymore. They used to open it once a year to the public. Most of the static displays moved to Udvar when it opened but they still restore aircraft and house a lot of stuff in Suitland. Suitland is where I first saw the Enola Gay, and all the very rare German stuff; AR 234, HE 162, Ho 229, Ar 335, Ta 152, Ta 183 scale model. As you know most of these are the only ones in the world. If you only have time for one A&S muesum you have to pick based on your personallity. The Udvar location is a hanger with planes. There is a very small sign with each one. It doesn't give any character to the environment or time the plane on display was built. The downtown location has time period rooms, which gives a much more complete experience. One thing they have at downtown that is not to be missed, is the 2 axis 360 degree simulator. It can roll and flip continuously.
I'm not sure it is still prominently displayed. I did it for the opening of the Balloon and Airship wing in 1976 for the bi-centennial celebration. It is signed, of course, but could be relegated to the basement by now. Iv'e not been able to get back there to see it but a lot of friends and family have. See attachment. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Great information in this thread, thank you all for sharing. For people that have done one or both, would it be feasible to try for both in one day? I land and am staying near Dulles Sunday night. Was thinking of the Annex in the morning and then down to metro to the a/s museum for the rest of Monday. Tuesday is meetings and flight out, so trying to pack as much into Monday as possible. There a few planes/shuttle I want to see at the Annex, but do want to get into the ASM if possible. Reality?
If you're a fast walker and don't care to read any plaques or see movies or find Bob's name on the wall.
Well said! I took a day off of work back when I was in DC to go to all the museums. I went into pretty much every museum at the Mall that day to show my brother from out of town a tour. We walked fast and didn't stop at plaques, haha. My co-workers couldn't believe I was able to go through them all (almost all) in 1 day. Possibly, but probably not as enjoyable. My shins were hurting for a couple days... Edit: I'd recommend just going to the annex building since you will be closer to it. Take your time and enjoy it. Go to the one at the Mall when you're in town another time and take your time there and you'll have some room left to see other museums next to it if you want.
Ok, thank you all. Last time i was in town was 23 years ago...might be a while before I get the chance again I have been to Museum of Flight, so some of the Annex appears to duplicate some planes, but Ill see what I can do...Thanks again.
