The National Mall, the Smithonian Institution and neighborhoods in DC

Gray skies this Monday morning, and, not too warm neither. After check-out of our gorgeous Willard-Intercontinental Hotel and our move by Uber to the Embassy Suites nearby, we took metro to get to the National Mall.


The National Mall - Washington's heart - is nicknamed “America’s front yard” and is full of monuments, memorials and museums, and, best it: they are all for free! Museums are part of the Smithsonian Institution, there are 17 museums and galleries in D.C., most of them along or nearby the Mall. From the origins of man at the Natural History Museum to Art Museums of different kinds and the Air & Space Museum, there is something for everybody!

We checked out The Arts and Industries Building (right, above) - the second oldest building, opened in 1881 as the country’s first U.S. National Museum, but it is, unfortunately, right now closed again.

Our first visit this morning was at the Air & Space Museum. It is currently undergoing a profound renovation, but part of the galleries were reopened recently, and lines were long and time-frame tickets necessary. New and attractive: the "America by Air" exhibition, about passenger air traffic in the U.S., or the Wright Bros. section, but there is much more – see photos below, please!

For  art museums we only went to the National Gallery of Art this time, with its modern East Wing (photo) and its original West Wing, connected by a new fancy, artistic underpass (pic). The masterworks highlighted here represent sculptures, decorative arts, prints, drawings, photographs, and paintings - a lot, but we focused on Modern American Art. 

 

 

 

Next Stop: The American History Museum, one of our favorites: From the  original Star-Spangled Banner Flag to First Ladies,  from Julia Childs - the famous TV chef - to food in America, from "Presente! Latin History" to American Entertainment - both rather new exhibitions  - all was highly instructive and interesting!

 

 

After having spent over four hours in museums (we are museums freaks for sure!), we got tired (and hungry and, though there would have been plenty food vendors along the mall (photo left), we decided to take the subway out to U Street corridor. This neighborhood was once  the heart of Black culture in America, with a vivid music and nightlife scene. It was the birthplace of jazz musician Duke Ellington (on mural below). Eventually, too. 

 

 

For the first time, we had the famous half-smoke sausages and chili at Ben's Chili Bowl (photos left and above), and, checked out "Little Ethiopia" nearby and Kramers Books, and, we admired the murals in the neighborhood (below). 

 

Lincoln Theater (above) closeby Ben's Chili Bowl.

Continuing on, we passed by Embassies at Embassy Row around Dupont Circle and, just before we reached our Embassy Suites Hotel, we noticed this fancy, unique Art-déco building (left photo): the former Greyhound terminal. This classic art deco landmark with a streamlined  look opened with a big party in 1940 was shut down in the 80ies. By the way: in 2022 Greyhound was acquired by the Munich Flixbus company, and, currently the building is occupied by a Furniture Rental company and offices.

Our day ended excellently with dinner at famous Old Ebbit Grill, the "Oldest Saloon in Washington", founded in 1856 as a boarding house. In the course of time the restaurant has a long guest list of the "Who's Who of American History", Presidents, stars and other famous people were and are eating here. The restaurant was packed on a Monday and we had fresh oysters (photo), clam chowder, steak frites and rockfish (photo) - all of the above delicious!

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