More Smithsonians

I started the Saturday after the Fourth of July weekend ambitiously. At five to ten, I was lined up with about a hundred hyper children and their families waiting for the Air and Space Museum to open its doors. I have very little interest in aviation history, but I love learning about the planets and space. I started with the exhibit on the planets, but by the time I got through the matieral on our solar system's planets up to Mars, I was already experiencing museum fatigue. Partly it was the density of the material, partly the kiddos running through the exhibit and their parents loudly trying to explain concepts of space to small children, and certainly the noise from the multimedia exhibits. I got the hell out of there and resolved to come back armed with some classical music on my ipod.

Some neat space thing outside the museum.
It is pretty neat to see the planes and space ships hung from the museum rafters.

I sought refuge at the Hirshorn Gallery, which is about as kid-free as it gets on the Mall. It is devoted to modern art, and I happily wandered the circular floors and stumbled upon many fine discoveries, including a new favorite painting and some incredible sculptures, like an interesting sculpture by Picasso of a mom pushing a baby in a stroller constructed out of what appears to be scrap metal and giant bolts. Very cool. The building itself is very cool as well, with four floors that form a doughnut with a giant fountain in the middle. The surrounding grounds hold giant sculptures.

The Hirshorn Gallery.

A new favorite painting, Eleven A.M. by Edward Hopper.

The Folklife Festival was in its final weekend, so I left Hirshorn and listened to some more Colombian music performances, but my heart wasn't really in it. I was still edgy from the Air and Space chaos and so I ended up heading home about an hour later.