For awe-inspiring architecture, priceless works of art, and fascinating history, one needn’t travel to Europe— you can find it all in our nation’s capital with the added thrill of being in the heart of the world’s power center and with iconic monuments as a backdrop.
As a destination, Washington D.C. offers a diverse and enriching experience in unexpected ways. And Fall is a beautiful time of year to visit Washington D.C.– trees are colorful and the air is still pleasant before the weather turns frigid. For this lifelong Southern Californian, east coast winters render me a wimp. On one of my visits to Washington, January temps dropped to 17 degrees! But that leaves three wonderful seasons to visit!
Smithsonian Institution: The Gift that Keeps On Giving
The Statue of Liberty may be considered among one of the greatest gifts given to the United States but consider the Smithsonian Institution. For symbolism, admittedly the Statue of Liberty is unrivaled, however, the ongoing impact the Smithsonian has had on America’s cultural life is hard to match.
A sizable bequest from an Englishman named James Smithson (1765–1829) made the Smithsonian Institution possible. His gift, which at the time was about $500,000, has had an enormous impact on the arts, humanities, and sciences in the United States.
After the death of Smithson’s nephew in 1836, his only heir, the British scientist’s estate was bequeathed to the United States “for the increase and diffusion of knowledge.” While Smithson’s directive was a noble cause, it took 10 years of debate for Congress to decide what the institution should be — a university, a scientific research institute, a library, or a museum.
The Castle is the Smithsonian Institution headquarters, built in 1847. photo credit: Smithsonian
One hundred and seventy-five years later, the Smithsonian Institution embodies all of these. Today, scholars and scientific researchers from throughout the world use the Smithsonian and its vast collections in their research to expand human knowledge.
After most of the Smithsonian’s museums were closed for nearly a year due to the pandemic, the Smithsonian Institution had a jubilant celebration of its 175 anniversary on August 10, 2021.
The Smithsonian Institution Building, designed by architect James Renwick, was constructed between 1847 and 1855. Commonly known as the Castle, it houses the Smithsonian Visitor Center, staff administrative offices, as well as the James Smithson crypt, located on the 3rd floor.
It’s curious that Smithson had never even been to the United States and he apparently had never mentioned his intentions to leave such a major bequest to America. Without any explanation in the bequest, we can only speculate.
Although his father was an English duke and his mother was related to King Henry Vlll, in class-conscious England he wasn’t fully accepted in society because he never married. William Bennett, a conservator at the Smithsonian Institution Archives, has suggested the bequest was perhaps Smithson’s way of establishing a legacy that wouldn’t depend on the conventions of his family or birth nation. And what a legacy it is.
Worlds to Explore
The Smithsonian Institution is the world's largest museum complex and research organization comprised 19 museums, 9 research centers, and the National Zoo – all free to the public.
The Museum of Natural History (above) and the National Museum of the American Indian (below) photo credit: Smithsonian
A word of advice: Pace yourself. Pick no more than 2 or 3 museums to visit in one day to fully experience each museum. Packing in too many museums during your visit will test your stamina and might possibly dilute the rich experience. You’ll want to remember what you saw rather than look back at a blur of activity.
An Art and Culture Capital
The National Gallery is comprised of the original West Building, the East Building and a Sculpture Park on a 6-acre site. It is one of our country’s most impressive repositories for art. It opened my eyes to a new perspective of Washington D.C because as much as The White House is the People’s House, this is the People’s Art. It’s our country’s collection of world art that should be a source of enormous national pride.
I’ve worked in the museum world at one point in my career and I’ve been fortunate to visit many of the world’s notable museums. I can say without hesitation the National Gallery is a truly fabulous world-class museum experience. It offers visitors an extensive collection of painting from the 13th to the 20th centuries with particular emphasis on Italian Renaissance and American painting. While it has changing exhibitions, the National Gallery’s permanent collection includes modernist works, antiquities, sculpture, photography, decorative arts and architecture as well.
Claes Oldenburg's Eraser at the National Gallery Sculpture Park
The National Gallery of Art celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2021. The original West Building, designed by famed American architect John Russell Pope, opened in 1941 and was a gift of Andrew Mellon to the American people. Added in 1978, the East Building’s dramatic geometry, designed by renowned contemporary architect I. M. Pei, is an exciting juxtaposition to the Palladian architecture of the National Gallery’s West Building. The subterranean concourse that connects the two is not-to-be missed.
Dynamic Neighborhoods
Fall is an exciting time to visit Washington, D.C. painted with colorful scenes. photo credit: Destination DC
From our stylish digs at the elegant Park Hyatt minutes from the tony neighborhood of Georgetown, we were ideally situated and were able to get to the other sections of the District in a few minutes.
The stylish Park Hyatt offers a warm Fall welcome for its two-legged and four-legged guests.
Besides seeing some of D.C.’s cultural and historic sites, we wanted to discover some of the lively neighborhood districts such as Georgetown, Dupont Circle, Foggy Bottom, and the U Street Corridor. Washington D.C. has one of the best metro systems in the country and getting around on it is a snap.
Dupont Circle offers a relaxing spot for reading or people watching.
Take a stroll along Embassy Row, a leafy swank neighborhood near Dupont Circle.
Our hotel was located on M Street which is the main thoroughfare through Georgetown. Following M Street for a couple of blocks put us in the heart of Georgetown. In the midst of fashionable busy Georgetown, is the Old Stone House, one of the oldest known structures remaining in the Capitol.
The Old Stone House in the Georgetown area is one of the oldest known structures in Washington, D.C.
Built in 1765, the Old Stone House has a lovely garden and gives visitors a welcome respite from the bustling scene surrounding it. It is also a free attraction operated and maintained by the National Park Service.
Washington D.C. is not the staid kind of town it used to be, it has an energetic vibe and a young population of emerging movers and shakers. And the neighborhoods reflect this youthful shift; they each have their own distinct personality with friendly watering holes, casual bistros, and some with extraordinary restaurants.
The Dupont Circle farmers market is one of many weekly markets around the district.
Indeed, Washington D.C. has become a notable dining capital known more than just power lunches. Numerous celebrity chefs and home-grown local chefs are putting the town on the culinary map. The dining scene in Washington D.C. is a dynamic ever-evolving culinary capital — from homey diners to swank bistros, from fine dining palaces to down-home favorites — there is a wide array of options sure to please anyone’s palate
Whenever you choose to visit, you’ll enjoy a bounty of national pride and cultural adventure that awaits you in Washington. Following pandemic closures resulting in a tough tourism climate and the shocking assault on the Capitol Building, — I think our nation’s capital can use a little patriotic love. Here’s to reclaiming our national pride!