Quick Guide to the Smithsonian

The Smithsonian name is a staple in Washington, housing 19 museums (not to mention the National Zoo under its umbrella). For weekend travelers with under 72 hours to explore the city, hitting all the Smithsonian spots might be unreasonable. Here is a brief list of the 3 most iconic museums you won’t want to miss on your trip to Washington.

1. Air and Space Museum As its name might indicate, the National Air and Space Museum is home to the largest collection of upward bound vessels in the world, whether it be the blue sky or beyond. Tracking air travel from its onset, the museum houses numerous original aircrafts, such as the Wright Flyer, the Wright Brothers test plane, and Charles Lindbergh’s legendary Spirit of St. Louis. The facility also serves as an insight into the accomplishments of astronauts, complete with ranging models of authentic spacecrafts, space suits, satellites and a replica of the Hubble Space Telescope.
2. Museum of Natural History The National Museum of Natural History, which moviegoers might recognize from Ben Stiller’s Night at the Museum, houses over 500 million various specimens of plants, animals, fossils, minerals, rocks, meteorites and artifacts. The sites newest exhibit, whose March 17, 2010 opening commemorated the museums 100^th year, is the “Hall of Human Origins,” traces the human race’s development across the course of evolution. The exhibit not only takes visitors back across collective human history, but also addresses some of the more pressing issues facing our species today. The “Changing the World” gallery offers a look at climate change and how man’s innovation and technology has impacted the surrounding environment.
3. Museum of American History The countless markers and monuments that line Washington’s city streets simply isn’t enough for some history buffs. For those looking for a more consolidated look at our great nation’s past, the Museum of American History does not disappoint. With insights into not only America’s political history, but our innovations and cultural obsessions as well, the museum paints a picture of what it’s like to be an American, spanning the diverse historical backdrop of our country.