I Live in a Cave

[drivingblind]

I live in a cave, and I have a friend coming to visit with the intent of tooling around Washington DC for the day on Wednesday. What recommendations should I give her? (Specific ones -- I already know we have a ton of museums, but I'm looking to get detailed here.) Has to be during-the-day stuff, as the evening is already planned.

Thoughts?

Comments

[falkonne]

I'm also very fond of the Portrait museum near China Town (which leads nicely to actually /going/ to China Town). National Gallery of Art is always a big win if only for pure density of art in one place. The Botanical gardens are also very beautiful.

[rechan]

There's a spy museum somewhere near Chinatown.

The Library of Congress is particularly cool.

[rob_donoghue]

If one has only a single day, the decision to make is between monuments and museums, and there are pretty clear paths to either side

[dharshai]

I would say for the Museums that unless that person LOVES all things Native American, that it isn't the best museum to go to. I was singularly uninspired by my entire experience there. Natural History and the Air & Space always please. There are a couple of cool little places to go. If she is an outdoorsy person, obviously the Botanical Gardens on the Mall, but there is alos the National Arboritium and Brookside Gardens (which should be doing their Butterfly exhibit now--and maybe the rose garden). I always forget about it, but we are extremely close to alot of Civil War memorials, including Manassass, Antietam and Gettysburg. Manassass might be the closest one, but they are all worthy.

In Baltimore, I can speak to the Science Museum which is doing the Body Works II thing. Gross but others find it fascinating. The Aquarium is there as well, the Baltimore Museum of Art, and the Walters. All great times.

[rob_donoghue]

I entirely second the "meh" response to the Native American Museum.

[dharshai]

we found that the only thing in the place that was really kind of neat was the cafeteria where they had tons of different regional native american cuisine.

[sambear]

At least it's a cave with Internet.

[caramida]

The Federal Reserve Building at 20th and Constitution. It's only the most powerful single building in DC aside from the White House.