I had originally planned to go to the US National Arboretum, our last day in Washington, D.C., but after a relative told us not to miss the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, I changed our plans. After a leisurely morning at our Airbnb, we hopped on a Capital Bikeshare bicycle to explore the Museum.
But first I have to share a photograph from the Sculpture Garden of the National Gallery of Art. This tree is entitled, “Graft”. My husband waited on a park bench while I wandered through the Garden. At 45 feet high by 45 feet wide and weighing 16,000 pounds, this piece by American sculptor Roxy Paine is marvelous!
According to Earl A. Powell III, director of the National Gallery of Art–“Graft presents two fictive but distinct species of trees—one gnarled, twisting, and irregular, the other smooth, elegant, and rhythmic—joined to the same trunk. Among its rich associations, this sculpture evokes the persistent human desire to alter and recombine elements of nature, as well as the ever-present tension between order and chaos.”
A friendly squirrel, looking for food, stood still long enough for me to snap his portrait…
Back to the Museum…Photography wasn’t allowed within the exhibits, but the main atrium was definitely photo worthy…
The Hall of Remembrance is a place to reflect upon the atrocities committed against our fellow man-kind…
This is a close-up of the eternal flame…
Taken from the Museum website: “Since its dedication in 1993, the Museum has welcomed more than 36 million visitors, including 96 heads of state.
The Museum was filled with…
- Art and Artifacts: 18,106 objects, averaging five to six new items a week
- Archives: 76.6 million pages, with an additional 135 million digital images from the International Tracing Service
- Photo Archives: 89,000 historical photographs and images, of which 28,600 are available on the Museum’s website
- Meed Survivors Registry: 206,819 survivors and their descendants registered, as well as other victims and WWII veterans
- Film and Video: More than 1,050 hours of archival footage; 220 hours of outtakes from the film SHOAH; 1,350 research requests annually
- Library: More than 100,000 items in 61 languages
- Oral History: More than 14,000 oral history testimonies of survivors, witnesses, and perpetrators, and access to nearly 52,000 oral histories from the University of Southern California Shoah Foundation
- Senior Historian’s Division: 902 research requests fulfilled in 2013
Today we face an alarming rise in Holocaust denial and antisemitism—even in the very lands where the Holocaust happened—as well as genocide and threats of genocide in other parts of the world. This is occurring just as we approach a time when Holocaust survivors and other eyewitnesses will no longer be alive.”
On a much lighter note…after exiting the Museum, we passed Smokey the Bear, and when I asked my husband if he’d like a photograph with him, he eagerly agreed (which surprised me). He looks like a boyscout…
Around Day 3 or 4 we made a stop at the White House hoping to walk along Pennsylvania Avenue, but they were roping it off because of a potential security threat. We stopped again on Day 7 and I took a photo from the back…
We were able to make time for a stop at the National Archives and saw the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, amongst other historical documents.
Our last stop of the week was Union Station. The angle of light created a striped pattern…
Visiting Washington D.C. wasn’t on my Bucket List, but I was delighted with all of the amazing sites and activities it has to offer!
Sherry Lachelle Travels 
It has been more than 20 years, but our trip to D.C. is still our best ‘vacation’ ever. Much is new since then. Thank you for sharing!
LikeLike
Thank you for stopping by!
LikeLike
Great series of posts, Sherry.
LikeLike
I’ve really enjoyed your perspective on DC. I lived near and worked in DC for years. I’m now closer to Baltimore and work from home, so don’t frequent the sites you’ve visited or the sights you’ve seen. It’s a great city and I’m glad you got to enjoy exploring it via Capital Bikeshare.
LikeLike
Thanks Nancy! Did my perspective differ much from yours?
LikeLike
Well there are always differences in visiting vs living somewhere. You discovered things I didn’t already know, like the extent of the FDR memorial. I’ve visited others but not that one. I love the gardens around the different Smithsonian buildings, and enjoyed your photo of the Sculpture Garden. I also share your appreciation for navigating DC by bike, which I think is the best way to go.
LikeLike
Thank you for responding. Yes…I agree that bicycling is the way to go. 🙂
LikeLike
I found it a great place to visit… specially as a visitor from the opposite side of the globe…
LikeLiked by 1 person