Local Adventure: News at the Newseum
Extra! Extra! Read All About It!
News surrounds us everyday and comes in many different shapes and sizes. Word of mouth. Newspaper. Radio. Television. Social Media. Opportunities for news coverage are endless these days! You almost can’t get away from it…well, except maybe when you get off social media and don’t have cable 🙋🏼♀️
I have been to a number of the museums in Washington DC, but the Newseum was one of the few I had never been to. I think the main reason was because there was a fee for admission ($25/adult).
My friend, LA, and I lucked out, though. We got in free!
How? It was “Museum Day”. It was a one-day event that participating museums across the US provide FREE entry to anyone with a Museum Day ticket.
It was a total win for us. Especially since I don’t think I would have paid to go into the museum after being in it. No thank you! 🙂 Great view, though.
The Newseum provides an interactive platform for viewers to experience news on overdrive and information overload. Like seriously! There are 6 floors full of information about everything news, including exhibits about the Civil Rights, Today’s Front Pages, and the Journalist Memorial. Throughout the madness of details, I did learn that the Space Shuttle Disaster happened the year I was born. Happened before I was born, but still an interesting fact.
Out of all the information overload, I found two exhibits to be the most interesting and most provoking – Ted Kaczynski’s [The Unabomber] cabin in “Inside Today’s FBI” and the 9/11 Gallery.
- The Unabomber’s cabin was hidden in the basement of the Newseum. LA and I searched all floors, sometimes skipping exhibits, in hopes of finding this cabin. With my complete fascination of true crime (and hers), we set out on a mission that day, which was mainly to see (and touch) the cabin. We both questioned the obsessiveness of the FBI of themselves, but we looked passed that…and found the cabin. It was TINY! And nothing was in it. Which makes sense, since he was basically a naturalist living off the land, but STILL. It was also super crazy to conceptualize the fact the cabin was examined, broken down and rebuilt in this exhibit…for everyone to gawk at! We sure did.
- 9/11 Gallery aroused emotions that are unspeakable and hard to put into words. I remember exactly where I was when the World Trade Center buildings were hit. I have been to the 9/11 Memorial in NYC and the Pentagon Memorial in DC. You never walk away the same. The impact of the events was so powerful that it resonates with all Americans. While this gallery was “smaller” than some of the other memorials, I walked away with tears in my eyes from a video tutorial and reading/seeing the things in this gallery. Very compelling!
Learning really works up an appetite! Or am I always hungry?…Not completely sure! Regardless, LA and I grab “linner” (late lunch, early dinner) together at a small Thai spot in Arlington called Sawatdee Thai Restaurant. I could eat Thai food all day, every day! It’s by far my favorite cuisine. And Sawatdee was no short of delicious! Noodles. Papaya salad. Thai tea. More, please, more!
Things to Consider:
- Usually the Newsuem costs $25/adult.
- The Newseum is information OVERLOAD!
My DC Adventures aren’t over. I am back on track of enjoying ALL things about my city (Washington DC and surrounding areas) and can’t wait to bring you on my journey. Hope you’ve enjoyed these latest adventures.