| Part II |
Opened in 1976, the
National Air & Space
Museum is one of the most
famous museums in the
world, and one of the most
visited. Announcing it's
theme of flight outside with
futuristic sculptures (left), the
museum holds in its central
place of honor, the original
1903 Flyer of the Wright
Brothers (right), with a figure
of Orville at the controls.
Restored by Orville himself
in the early 20th Century,
this is the plane that flew at
Kitty Hawk on 17 Dec. 1903.
National Air & Space
Museum is one of the most
famous museums in the
world, and one of the most
visited. Announcing it's
theme of flight outside with
futuristic sculptures (left), the
museum holds in its central
place of honor, the original
1903 Flyer of the Wright
Brothers (right), with a figure
of Orville at the controls.
Restored by Orville himself
in the early 20th Century,
this is the plane that flew at
Kitty Hawk on 17 Dec. 1903.
(Above) Looking over the museum's "Milestones of Flight" Hall, can you find four of
the most famous flying machines in the world? I'll give you a hint--the X-15, which is
the big plane in the foreground, isn't one of them.
Having trouble? Yes? Ok, then--the answer is on the last page of this tour of
Washington.
(Below) The museum's missile pit sinks deep into the ground to accommodate the
ever-growing height of the rockets it has on display. In this hall is also the Apollo-Soyuz
capsules of the first joint U.S.-Soviet space mission, the hull of Skylab II, and a full-sized
mock-up of the Hubble Space Telescope used for testing.
the most famous flying machines in the world? I'll give you a hint--the X-15, which is
the big plane in the foreground, isn't one of them.
Having trouble? Yes? Ok, then--the answer is on the last page of this tour of
Washington.
(Below) The museum's missile pit sinks deep into the ground to accommodate the
ever-growing height of the rockets it has on display. In this hall is also the Apollo-Soyuz
capsules of the first joint U.S.-Soviet space mission, the hull of Skylab II, and a full-sized
mock-up of the Hubble Space Telescope used for testing.
As I said, this tour is brief, merely to wet your appetite. The Smithsonian
encompasses far more than the Castle, Air & Space Museum, and gardens. On the
National Mall are the Museum of American History where the actual Star Spangled
Banner from Ft. McHenry is preserved and cared for, the world-class Natural History
Museum with dinosaurs and other exotic exhibits, art galleries, the Museum of the
Holocaust, and, opening in 2004, the National Museum of the American Indian. You can
spend weeks just touring the Smithsonian mussems alone.
encompasses far more than the Castle, Air & Space Museum, and gardens. On the
National Mall are the Museum of American History where the actual Star Spangled
Banner from Ft. McHenry is preserved and cared for, the world-class Natural History
Museum with dinosaurs and other exotic exhibits, art galleries, the Museum of the
Holocaust, and, opening in 2004, the National Museum of the American Indian. You can
spend weeks just touring the Smithsonian mussems alone.
With the Capitol looming in the
background, the National Mall is ringed
by the buildings of the Smithsonian
Institution. Originally endowed by an
Englishman, James Smithson, the
Institution has grown to become one of
the great museum complexes in the
world. The "Castle" (right) was the first
building, and still acts as the Institution's
administrative headquarters. The
Smithsonian has incredible flower and
sculpture garden (below) one can easily
lose oneself in.
background, the National Mall is ringed
by the buildings of the Smithsonian
Institution. Originally endowed by an
Englishman, James Smithson, the
Institution has grown to become one of
the great museum complexes in the
world. The "Castle" (right) was the first
building, and still acts as the Institution's
administrative headquarters. The
Smithsonian has incredible flower and
sculpture garden (below) one can easily
lose oneself in.