There's So Much to Discover in Washington, D.C.

By Bonnie and Bill Neely

We were in Washington, D.C., for a special performance of The Washington Ballet at the Dupont Underground, and as long as we were there, we wanted to take in as much of the nation's capital as we could. There was plenty to do.

Like most visitors, our first stop was the National Mall to visit each of the dramatic monuments that stretch from the White House and the Capitol Building to the Washington Monument obelisk. Monuments honoring Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and James Monroe are near the World War II and Vietnam Veteran Monuments as well as the newest statuary wall honoring World War I veterans.

The lake in the serene green setting is enhanced each spring by the famous pink-blossomed cherry trees. Nearby is the Potomac River with tranquil riverboat sight-seeing tours that are a must. Across the Potomac is the Arlington National Cemetery and not far away is Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington before the White House was built.

We were intrigued by the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture, which was well worth the time we spent on the self-guided tour. Excellent signage throughout the four-story building chronicles Black history from life in Africa to enslavement in the United States and other countries. It also highlights the many contributions of Black Americans in such areas as music and film. As with many of the Smithsonian museums, admission is free.

We also visited the National Gallery of Art and the separate Portrait Gallery, each of which included prized masterpieces by artists from around the world and through centuries. The Portrait Gallery features famous leaders throughout U.S. history. It is a great place for both children and adults to connect the faces of U.S. presidents with their names.

The National Gallery is like a walk through the centuries of artists' styles and genres. Paintings and sculptures are arranged in separate rooms by style and period. We wandered through realistic portraits, scenes from nature and still life. Beyond that was Renaissance art from around the world, a room devoted to pointillism and others to abstract, Cubism, modern and post-modern art.

We had read about the International Spy Museum, and it was the place we wanted to see next. We were excited to see a special exhibit called "Bond In Motion" since we are great fans of the 007 movies. This collection requires an additional ticket, but it is definitely worth the extra cost. We loved seeing the collection of seemingly magic vehicle -- cars, boats, planes and a submarine equipped with sophisticated and complex devices -- from six decades of the Bond films. On loan from the EON Productions Archive and the Ian Fleming Foundation, the exhibit will be in place through April 2025.

The rest of the museum, which was filled with tricks of the spy trade, was equally exciting. The written and pictorial history of various events through several centuries and around the world are a lesson in international history. We saw the secret and hidden or camouflaged equipment used in the assassinations of despots and war leaders. Most of the items appeared to be normal clothing or cars but contained hidden features. A pair of women's gloves and a tube of lipstick were instruments of self-defense, for example. A car from the early 1900s has spaces created for spies to hide within the engine and under the seats.

During our self-guided tour we wandered through the museum's four floors at our own pace. We were entranced with the displays, excellent signage, and videos showing the evolution of spying in the United States from the American Revolution up through Vietnam and the Cold War.

One section of exhibits deals with the Cuban Missile Crisis during John F. Kennedy's presidency, when Russia placed missiles pointed toward the United States in Cuba. It was both entertaining and educational to see the development of spy techniques, gimmicky equipment and new technology used over the years. Exhibits also deal with spies from other countries working against the United States.

We learned how much the government must keep from the public during national crises. Something else we learned was that we should have planned more time for this museum and the many others that we couldn't pack into one trip.

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WHEN YOU GO

Washington National Ballet: www.washingtonballet.org

Dupont Circle Underground: www.dupontunderground.org

Washington National Mall: www.nps.gov/nama/index.htm

Smithsonian Institute and Museums: www.si.edu

National Museum of African American History and Culture: www.nmaahc.si.edu

International Spy Museum: www.spymuseum.org

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Bonnie Neely is the author of "Real Ventures: Did We Really Do That?" which is available at www.amazon.com. She and her husband Bill are freelance writers. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.