Things to See in DC

Hazy Center IMAX at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center - Chantilly, VA

The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center

One of two museums that showcase the largest collection of aviation and space artifacts in the world.

It should be no surprise that there are many wonderful things to see in the capitol city. Beyond an abundance of historical sites and national monuments, there are also many museums in the area that are the perfect educational place to take your child after a day of visiting the other attractions. For a place that is well known as the political hub of the United States, it might be a surprise to some how many quality museums there are in the area.

At the top of the list is the Marian Koshland Science Museum. Located on the corner of 6th and E streets in Washington, the museum is committed to educating the public about the specific challenges of our times.  The museum has several interactive exhibits that are constantly changing, but the current ones have a very contemporary tone.

The infectious disease exhibit deals with the microbial world we live in. The exhibit also shows how our responses to new threats determine the kind of world we live in. Global Warming: Facts and Our Future shows how this latest issue affects the entire globe.

The Marian Koshland Science Museum is named after the scientist whose work was groundbreaking in the field of antibodies. The museum was a gift from her husband.

There are many things to see and educational experiences in the DC that are off the usual routes, places that are both educational and entertaining and great for kids. The National Air and Space Museum is another one of those places.

The National Air and Space Museum is thirty years old this year. It was conceived in 1946 and opened as a Museum on the National Mall in 1976. Some of the more impressive historical exhibits the museum has displayed over time include the Enola Gay, which was the aircraft that dropped the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the Spirit of Saint Louis, the aircraft flown by Charles Lindbergh across the Atlantic Ocean in 1927.

The National Air and Space Museum also has features geared toward children. Upon request, the museum staff read stories about famous flyers and missions to Mars as part of an educational commitment. There are also learning labs run by staff at the museum that helps young students learn about the past and future of air travel.

Still, the National Air and Space Museum is not always on everyone's list of important sites to see in DC, and that is really quite a mystery. The museum covers a vast array of past and present issues and mile stones in the annals of human flight and there is a current history of people in space feature that covers all the important aspects including the space race between the United States and the Soviet Union. Currently, the National Air and Space Museum is looking for new members to help it build Phase Two of the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center which will be a center to preserve important space artifacts in their pristine state.