I really enjoyed my day in DC, although I do think that there are areas that were downplayed. They might just need to be updated through a modern lens or have it more explicitly stated why something was wrong.
I went to the American History Museum first. The Pop culture section was fun. The Captain America Shield was cool to see. R2D2 was bigger and C3P0 was smaller than I expected. The Gerry Mander Cartoon and metal detector machine used on President Garfield was interesting to see.
I was surprised to learn that it took 3 presidential assassinations before the secret service was used to guard the president. I really liked the first ladies dress exhibit. Although I was disappointed to see how small the collection was considering the first ladies have been giving at least 1 dress each to the Smithsonian since the 1960s. I liked the grandness of the Star Spangled Banner exhibit but I hated how they called a black teenage girl who participated in the construction an “indentured servant.”
I forget which specific section I was in but I loved the area that focused on the Midwest. I didn’t know that Chicago Chinatown was forced to relocate in 1912, which might be why it’s so small in comparison to other US Chinatowns. Also, I had no idea Chicago hospitals were the first to implement SA kits.
The area on using public schools for assimilation was particularly interesting. It focused on catholic, Jewish, and Chinese people opening private schools to preserve culture. Although it does mention that African Americans didn’t have this option because of segregation I thin they missed or looked over a few points. Most African Americans also didn’t have the option of private schools because of the cost. I was greatly disappointed that Native Americans and residential schools weren’t even mentioned.
The African American History Museum is the best designed museum I’ve ever been to.
The museum opens on the 4rd floor and the first floors 3 floors takes you from the 1400s to the 1970s. I really like the continuous flow of the exhibits. There was a way to leave at the end of each floor but I liked that you had to experience everything.
I was surprised that Portugal was the country that transported the most enslaved people to America. They had some amazing pieces including a Pullman train carriage and the Emmet Till Memorial. I learned so much more about Tulsa and the race riots in Detroit.
Before Leaving the exhibit area is a walkway to the Contemplation Court.
This so thoughtfully designed. It’s a place to help regulate all the emotions this museum stirred and process everything you witnessed. This quiet place with only the sound of water falling was just what I needed. Every museum that is emotionally exhausting should have something like this.
I also loved that you were actually looking up to the street level.
