If you ever want to feel both extremely poor and extremely powerful at the same time, may I suggest a visit to the Hall of Geology, Gems, and Minerals at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC. I went in July of 2019 with my boyfriend (important detail, hold onto it), ostensibly because I like rocks. Which is true. I do like rocks. But not in a “I know Mohs hardness scales off the top of my head” way. More in a “this shiny thing has been on Earth longer than capitalism and could still crush me emotionally” way. This hall is pure spectacle.
Tag: smithsonian
Dinosaurs In DC: The Most Elite Thing You Can Do With Your Time
Let’s clear something up immediately: If you go to Washington, DC and skip the dinosaurs, you didn’t “do DC.” You just walked around outside looking at buildings like a Victorian child with no indoor enrichment. The dinosaurs are indoors. The dinosaurs are free. The dinosaurs are the best thing in this city. This is not an opinion. This is a travel truth. The Smithsonian Fossil Hall Is a Flex The David H. Koch Hall of Fossils is one of those places where you walk in and instantly think, Oh, I should have blocked off more time for this and fewer minutes
The Smithsonian American Art Museum: A Roasting in Oil Paints
If you’re in D.C. and want to feel both deeply inspired and mildly haunted, the Smithsonian American Art Museum is your jam. It’s like wandering into America’s attic: some pieces are gorgeous heirlooms, some are historical oddities, and some are the kind of thing you stare at for five minutes wondering if you’re the problem. Spoiler: you’re not. Let’s break down some of the highlights. The Seasons of Life: Your Entire Existence in Four Frames The Seasons of Life paintings are so beautiful they should honestly come with a warning label: “Will cause an existential crisis by the third cavas.”
The National Air and Space Museum: Where Nerd Dreams Take Flight
There are museums you go to, and then there are museums you experience. The National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. is firmly in the latter camp. This isn’t just a building full of dusty artifacts. It’s where the Wright brothers’ sketchy little plane rubs elbows with a freaking space shuttle. It’s where you suddenly find yourself whispering, “Okay fine, humanity has done some pretty cool things.” The Vibes Walking in, you’re immediately hit with the kind of awe that makes you want to slap your own face and say, “Remember this moment!” Planes dangle from the ceiling like oversized mobiles, rockets stand upright