The DC Traveler

This week in Washington, DC, the Smithsonian turned 162 years old.
The Smithsonian Institution was based on a gift of James Smithson, a British scientist, who left his entire estate to the United States of America in 1827.  His gift of over 100,000 gold sovereigns, or $500,000, (just under $9.5 million in today’s dollars) required the government to establish the Smithsonian Institution, to “increase and diffusion of knowledge."

An act of Congress in 1846 expanded the growth of collection into the world’s largest museum complex (16 museums) with over 140 million objects and the National Zoo in Washington, DC. …read more

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Discover the beautiful world of butterflies as they flutter around your head at the new Butterfly Pavilion oasis at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC.
The new pavilion will open today, with over 300 live butterflies.  
In the adjacent gallery, Partners in Evolution teaches how animals and plants co-exist through depending on each other for food, protection and pollination.
This is the second butterfly park or habitat in the Washington, DC area, the other is located at Brookside Gardens in suburban Wheaton, MD.
The new Pavilion at the Natural History will open on Friday, February 15th, …read more

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Every Friday evening you can enjoy live jazz, cocktails, a bite to eat and even a movie at the Museum of Natural History. 
The current movie is the comedy, Night at the Museum staring Ben Stiller.  In this fantasy pic, Stiller takes a job as a night watchman at New York’s Museum of Natural History…and things come alive. While the critic’s have given the move only average  reviews, it would make for a great family theme night or theme date. 
 
 
The schedule of musical performers is available online and a special Latin Jazz night is scheduled on Friday, March 2nd.
National Museum of Natural History
Smithsonian …read more

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Camera…Scanner.
Last week, I wrote about a great photographic exhibit of award-winning nature photographs on display at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History.
 

In the gallery next door, is a rather unique exhibit of stunning photographic(?) images of flowers.  The reason for the question mark is that these images are not taken with a camera, but with a digital desktop scanner.
 
Transitions: Photographs by Robert Creamer is an exhibit of 39 photographs and a brief video presentation on how he creates these dramatic and one-of-a-kind images.
 
Creamer, a professional photographer for over 30 years, set down his camera and brought his subjects – flowers, …read more

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The National Museum of Natural History in Washington DC has on display several of the world’s most famous rare gemstones, including the famous (and supposedly cursed) 45 carat Hope Diamond and the 330 carat Star of Asia Sapphire.
But one of the often overlooked gemstone is the vibrant 23 carat Burmese red ruby called the Carmen Lúcia ruby.
Rubies of this type are rarely over 20 carets and this one is one of the best examples in the world.
Donated to the Smithsonian by a wealthy businessman in memory of his wife, Carmen Lúcia, this rare stone is set in a platinum ring …read more

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