Itineraries Meet Reality

We had to cut David.

I know! I know! I know.

Uffizi by Petar Milošević. • CC BY-SA 4.0

 

Past Me (i.e. me several months ago, before we got into the trip planning nitty gritty) would be saying the same thing you are right now. “You’re not going to see David?!! You’re going all the way to Italy, all the way to Florence, you’re probably going to walk by the building that Michelangelo’s most famous statue is inside of – but not go in?!!

I KNOW.

Michelangelo

It’s not that I’m not interested in art. Or Renaissance art specifically. (I am.) It’s not that I don’t want to see it. (I do.)

The thing is this: You don’t just pop in to see The David. The sculpture is housed in La Galleria dell’Accademia di Firenze, along with small collections of other artwork and molds and models for sculptures. I’d actually be interested in seeing all that.

David selfie

But David is a very popular guy. To the point that, getting inside l’Accademia usually means either (a) waiting in line for a couple hours to buy a ticket on-site or (b) buying a timed ticket online that allows you to skip the line that you cannot make changes to once purchased. You pick the time, buy the ticket, and then it’s set. No changes. No refunds. No mercy.

It’s the same deal at the Uffizi Gallery, which is a large musuem full of some of the most important art of the Renaissance (just not David). Either wait in line or be tied to a time.

Uffizi © Samuli Lintula / Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0

We had considered doing both during our morning in Florence. And in a guidebook-itinerary perfect world, that’s totally possible. But, in reality, it became clear that attempting to do both in one morning was not a good plan for us.

So that meant choosing between l’Accademia (David) or Uffizi (tons of art). You might’ve made a different choice. Or might’ve been willing to rush around and cram both in. Or maybe you’re not that into art and would’ve skipped both.

Florence Duomo by Petar Milošević • CC BY-SA 4.0

The point is there’s the trip you would plan in a vacuum, based solely on your interests and preferences. And then there’s the real-world itinerary (both planned and unplanned) that is limited by time and money and energy and weather and who you are traveling with and when things are open and whether your feet hurt and what else is happening in the town/the world/your life that day.

In the real world, you make trade-offs, try to be flexible, and do your best to enjoy the story as it unfolds.




Photo credits:

1+5 Petar Milošević • CC BY-SA 4.0

2 Me

La Galleria dell’Accademia di Firenze

4 © Samuli Lintula / Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0

Virtually Visit Italy

If you can’t take a plane to Italy, there are still ways to see the sights from where you are.

Florence Duomo by Petar Milošević • CC BY-SA 4.0

If you can’t take a plane to Italy, there are still ways to see the sights from where you are.

Museums and monuments sometimes have “virtual tours” that allow you to see 3D views of a place and (usually) click to navigate through it – like Google Street View but inside.

A group of Russian photographers has taken incredible 360-degree photographs around the world. You can probably get lost in their site, AirPano, for days. I’ve linked to some of the AirPano pages for Italian cities (below).

Skyline Webcams allows you to search for live camera feeds of public places by country or category (city views, landscapes, etc.) I’ve included a few live cams from Italy in the lists below, but there are lots more on their site.

 

David selfie

Florence

Milan

 

Galleria Umberto, Naples

Naples and Pompeii

Pisa

 

Vatican

Rome and the Vatican

 

regata storica venice http://www.regatastoricavenezia.it/mg.php?fg=2016&pg=2&lang=it

Venice

Where would you like to “travel” to without leaving home?

Happy virtual trails!


*Not mobile friendly.


 

Microblog Mondays: Write in your own space




Photo credits —

  1. Florence (Duomo): Petar Milošević • CC BY-SA 4.0
  2. Florence (David): La Galleria dell’Accademia di Firenze
  3. Naples: Italy Guides
  4. Rome: Vatican City State
  5. Venice: Regata Storica

Happenings List: Fall 2017

Museum of contemporary art Tucson

The Happenings List is made up of things I would do if I could do everything and be everywhere.

This edition includes September and October events in Italy, Spain, the UK, and the U.S. – specifically, Arizona, California, Colorado, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington (state), and Washington D.C. If you are able to go to something on the list, please tell me about it!

Look for the asterisks (**) to read more about a place or event on Travelcraft Journal.

MOCA

+Arizona

Phoenix Art Museum

Wall Draw

Now – Sep 29, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, 10am to 5pm
Beasley Art Gallery, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff
Annual community show that allows you to draw on the gallery’s walls.

Virginia Overton exhibition

Now – Oct 1
MOCA, Tucson
Site-specific installation by Virginia Overton in response to the Neo-Brutalist space of MOCA’s Great Hall.

Astronomy Nights

Sep 1, Oct 6, Nov 3, Dec 1 every 30 minutes from 6-10pm
Mesa Community College, Mesa

Monthly Planetarium shows open to the public the first Friday of the month during the Fall semester. Free admission (first come, first served).

Operacon Extravaganza

Sep 7, 7pm
Tucson Museum of Art, Tucson
Explore how opera is created with live performances, theatrical make-up demonstrations, and Q+A sessions with Arizona Opera. Free.
**Arizona Opera’s World Premiere Riders of the Purple Sage.

Arizona Restaurant Week

Sep 15-24
Central and Southern Arizona
Restaurants throughout the state offer prix-fixe dinners for $33 or $44 per person.

Rock Art of Spur Cross

Sep 16, 8am
Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area, Cave Creek
Moderate two-hour hike to visit petroglyphs created by the Hohokam people hundreds of years ago. $3 entry.

Ballet Under the Stars

7pm. Outdoor performances by Ballet Arizona. Free.

  • Sep 21. Beardsley Park, Sun City West.
  • Sep 22. Fountain Park, Fountain Hills.
  • Sep 23. Steele Indian School Park, Phoenix.
  • Sep 28. Tempe Center for the Arts Amphitheater, Tempe.
  • Sep 30. Estrella Lakeside Amphitheater, Goodyear.

The Story of Opera in Wine

A talk on opera’s history is paired with a tastings of European wines. Part of Arizona Opera’s OperaCon. Tickets $20. Registration required.

Lake Pleasant

National Public Lands Day Lake Pleasant Clean Up

Sep 30, 7am
Lake Pleasant Regional Park, Peoria

Volunteers are wanted to clean up trash in the park. Free full-day park entry for people who sign up online and help from 7am to 11am. Check in the morning of the event at the main contact station of Lake Pleasant Regional Park.

Pinners Conference + Expo

Oct 6-7
WestWorld, Scottsdale
Craft, home, food, beauty, entertaining, wellness, and photography classes and over 200 exhibitors. One-day tickets $8-29, not including class kit fees.

Film: Jean Cocteau’s Beauty and the Beast with Score by Philip Glass

Oct 11, 7pm
Tucson
Screening of Jean Cocteau’s classic film La Belle et la Bête (Beauty and the Beast) with an updated soundtrack by Philip Glass. Part of Arizona Opera’s OperaCon. Tickets $5.

Arizona Taco Festival

Oct 14-15
Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, Scottsdale

Festival with about 50 restaurants serving $2 tacos, lucha libre wrestling, live music, tequila and margarita expos, and chihuahua beauty pageant. 1-day tickets $12.

  • Oct 14, 12-5pm. Tequila Expo: Up to 10 samples of fine tequila from a selection of over 100. Tickets $20 + festival admission.
  • Oct 15, 12-5pm. Margarita Tent: Showdown between local bars and up to 10 cocktail samples. Tickets $20 + festival admission.
  • Oct 15, 2:30pm. Chihuahua Beauty Pageant: Participant  application fee ($15-25) supports the Arizona Chihuahua Rescue.

**Pizza Festival.

 

Fall Festival + Antique Show

Oct 14-15
Pine-Strawberry Community Center, Pine

Local apples, antique show, book signings by local authors, and chili cookoff. Free entry + $5 to taste/judge.

Raptor Free Flight!

Oct 21, 2017 – March 2018
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson
Watch hawks, falcons, and owls fly completely untethered in the open desert, while a narrator explains the characteristics of each species. Two presentations daily (at 10am and 2pm) with different birds of prey native to the Sonoran Desert region each time. Included with admission.

Día de los Muertos Festival

Oct 28-29
Mesa Arts Center, Mesa
Food, market, live entertainment, and handmade altar contest. Free admission.

Camelback Studio Tour and Art Sale

Nov 3-5
Scottsdale
Visit artists’ studios, see artists at work, and purchase art. Free admission.

Tucson Comic-Con 2017

Nov 3-5
Tucson Convention Center
Community-based pop culture convention with a mission statement of “Pop Culture For All!” Full weekend passes $30.

Hidden In The Hills Studio Tour and Sale

Nov 17-19, 24-26
Cave Creek, Arizona

Self-guided tour of open artist studios in the Cave Creek and Scottsdale area with demonstrations and art for sale. Free admission.

ARTrageous Benefit Ansel Adams: America

Dec 2, 8:30pm
Virginia G. Piper Theater, Scottsdale
Gala to Benefit Scottsdale Arts Education + Outreach featuring Ansel Adams photography set to music. A full orchestra will perform a commissioned symphonic work by Dave Brubeck and his son Chris Brubeck. Concert + after-party tickets $75.

trailer-airbnb-ca-1

+California

Sculpture Is: 2017 “In the Garden”

Now – Oct 31
Sierra Azul Nursery and Gardens, Watsonville

Eleventh annual Pajaro Valley Arts (PVA) sculpture exhibition in the two-acre Sierra Azul Nursery demonstration gardens.
**Trailer or Tipi camping about 20 minutes from Watsonville (#2).

60th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival

September 15 – 17
Monterey County Fairgrounds, Monterey

The longest-running jazz festival in the world, celebrating the legacy of jazz with performances and educational programs. Tickets: Full weekend $145-410, Single day $45-164. Daily parking $15-40

Play!

Sep 16 – Dec 30
Palo Alto Art Center, Palo Alto
Group exhibition of artists who believe in the importance of play and make it part of their work.

  • Opening celebration: Sep 15
  • Includes work by Robert Xavier Burden, who creates intricate designs centered around toys.

The Fab Faux: Sgt. Pepper In Its Entirety

Nov 18, 8:00pm
The Wiltern, Los Angeles
Performance of Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band in its entirety to celebrate the album’s 50th Anniversary. The Fab Faux with The Hogshead Horns, The Creme Tangerine Strings, and Erin Hill. Ages 5+. Tickets $40-65. To skip service charges, buy tickets in person at the Hollywood Palladium box office Saturdays from 10am-2pm, except holiday weekends.

pond with water lilies

+Colorado

Calder Monumental

Now – Sep 24
Denver Botanic Gardens

Large metal sculptures by artist Alexander Calder placed throughout the gardens. Included with admission.
**Denver Botanic Gardens.

Pastels on 5th

Sep 9, 10am
Downtown Loveland

Sidewalk chalk art festival and fundraiser for Alternatives to Violence (ATV) victim services.

Silversmithing

Sep 12 – 26, Tuesdays, 5:30pm
Center for the Arts, Crested Butte
Create a set of five stackable sterling silver rings with different metal textures. In the process, learn soldering, annealing, chasing and polishing, as well as how to safely  handle a jeweler’s tools. $85 + $45 Supply Fee. Includes take-home resource and instruction packet.

+Massachusetts

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Exhibitions

  • Now – Feb 25, 2018. The Andes Inverted: Immersive installation by Daniela Rivera with materials, images, and sounds gathered from Chile’s Chuquicamata copper mine.
  • Sep 24, 2017 – Sep 3, 2018. Mark Rothko: Reflection: Exhibition of 11 Rothko pieces on loan from the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. that show the continuity of the artist’s work within western artistic tradition.
  • Sep 30, 2017 – Jun 3, 2018. Black and White Japanese Modern Art: Display of a newly acquired, large-scale calligraphy by Inoue Yūichi, along with a selection of other monochrome avant-garde works from postwar Japan.

The Salem Flea

Sep 17, 10am
Derby Square, Salem

Juried selection of vendors of vintage furniture and clothing, antiques, and architectural salvage, as well as a handmade goods by local artisans.
**A Weekend in Salem.

+New York

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Arts + Crafts Ideals in Buffalo

Edmund B. Hayes Hall, University at Buffalo
Buffalo is celebrating the 150th birthday of Frank Lloyd Wright and the region’s role in the American Arts + Crafts movement.

Kimchi

Sep 10, 11am
Q.E.D., Astoria
Course on making kimchi, its health benefits, and the science behind fermentation. Fee $45.

 

Independence Hall, Philadelphia

+Pennsylvania

Festival O17

Sep 14-25
Philadelphia
25 performances of new and classic operas at multiple venues across Philadelphia.

  • Sep 16-24. We Shall Not Be Moved: World Premiere chamber opera with classical, R&B and jazz singing, spoken word, contemporary movement, and video projection. Tickets $50-100.
  • Sep 23, 7pm. Opera on the Mall: Screening of an opera broadcast at Independence National Historical Park. Free.

Apple Butter Frolic

Oct 7, 10:30am
Mennonite Heritage Center, Harleysville

Autumn festival with Mennonite folk craft and farming demonstrations, wagon rides, and Pennsylvania Dutch (German) food – like scrapple, ground cherry pie, and a large caldron of apple butter! Proceeds help support the Mennonite Heritage Center.

Monticello

+Virginia

Monticello

  • Now – Oct 27, Saturdays and Sundays at 2pm. Harvest Tasting Tour: One-hour tour of Thomas Jefferson’s vegetable garden with a tasting of seasonal produce from the garden. Monticello Day Pass required + $15 ticket.
  • Sep 9. 2017 Heritage Harvest Festival: Celebration of Thomas Jefferson’s agricultural and epicurean legacy.
  • Sep 30, 9:15am. Get to Know Your Trails: Monticello Trail Ranger-lead walk along a woodland path to learn about the trail’s history. Tickets $18.

**Monticello.

SAM - Seattle Art Museum

+Washington

Seattle Art Museum

**A short visit to Seattle.
National Mall, Washington DC

+Washington D.C.

Narwhal: Revealing an Arctic Legend

Now – 2019
Natural History Museum

Understanding this unique tusked whale through traditional Inuit knowledge and scientific research.

Workshop Wednesdays

First + third Wednesdays, 1:30pm
National Museum of African Art
Drop-in workshops highlighting different artistic processes. All skill levels and ages welcome. Free.

  • Sep 6. Bead Making: Create and string paper beads.
  • Sep 20. The Big Draw: Introduction to African art and drawing fundamentals, followed by guided tour through African Mosaic exhibition and sketching. All materials provided. Registration required.

**Navigating the National Mall in Washington D.C.

regata storica venice http://www.regatastoricavenezia.it/mg.php?fg=2016&pg=2&lang=it

INTERNATIONAL

+Italy

Sere d’Arte a Castel Sant’Angelo

Now – Sep 14
Castel Sant’Angelo, Rome

Art, music and theater at the second-century Mausoleum of Hadrian (the tomb-turned-castle-turned-museum). Tickets €14. Includes admission to Castel Sant’Angelo and Palazzo Venezia.

  • Sep 2, 9pm. Sonia Bergamasco reads “Ritratto di donna” (Portrait Of A Woman)
    by Nobel Prize in Literature winner Wislawa Szymborska.
  • Sep 7, 9pm. Two for You: jazz covers by Max Ionata and Dado Moroni.
  • Sep 14, 9pm. “La valigia di Ravel” by Fabrizio Sinisi, with Sandro Lombardi and the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino orchestra.
  • Sep 14, 11pm. Live concert with Dewey Dell.

Venice Biennale

Now – Nov 26
Giardini and Arsenale, Venice
“Viva Arte Viva” – International exhibition of visual art, theater, architecture, music, dance, and film. Full regular tickets €25.

  • Aug 30 – Sep 9. Venice International Film Festival.
  • Sep 29 – Oct 8. International Festival of Contemporary Music.

Regata Storica 2017

Aug 30, Sep 3
Canal Grande, Venice
Centuries-old parade of gondolas and other traditional boats, as well as the most important races of Venice’s rowing season.

  • Aug 30: Presentation of the teams and blessing of the gondolini.
  • Sep 3, 4pm: Historic boat parade on the Grand Canal, followed by races.

Venice Glass Week

A celebration of the city’s tradition of glass artisans.

**Teatro La Fenice.

 

Mushroom Festival: Festa Del Fungo

Sep 23 – Oct 1
Piazza della Libertà, San Sisto di Piandimeleto

50th Edition Regional Mushroom Show.

Artissima Fair 

Nov 3-5
The Oval, Torino
International Fair of Contemporary Art with emerging as well as established contemporary artists from nearly two hundred international galleries.

Real alcazar de sevilla

+Spain

Noches en los Jardines del Real Alcázar

Now – Sep 9, 10:30pm
Real Alcázar, Sevilla
Nightly (Monday – Saturday) concerts in the gardens of a historic palace, including flamenco, classical, and world music. Doors open at 9pm, so you can explore the gardens before the concert. Beverages available for purchase. Ages 8+. Tickets €6.

+UK

The Big Barbican Adventure

Now – Dec 31
Barbican Centre, London

Clue solving, drawing and games for families along the Barbican do-it-yourself adventure trail. Pick up a free trail kit for The Big Barbican Adventure from the Barbican Centre Information Desk on Level G. Allow at least one hour to complete the trail. Ages 6+. Free.




While I’ve done my best to be accurate, sometimes things change or weren’t listed correctly in the first place. Also, I choose events that seem fun, unique, and like something you’d be interested in, but your mileage may vary. I may not endorse everything connected with a particular event, organization, venue, etc. So consider this your starting point, double check the details, and then venture forth!


Italy photo via Regata Storica.

Spain Real Alcázar photo via Noches en los jardines del Real Alcázar.

Crafts You Carry

Watercolor

Anytime you see me, there’s a good chance I have my watercolor kit with me. It’s also not unusual to have a roll or two of washi tape in my bag and/or a few ultra fine tip Sharpies. Maybe a partly finished scrapbook. You never know when you might need to craft on a moment’s notice!

travel-scrapbook

My friend Anne always has knitting with her. It has its own little bag. If she has to wait for someone or is in a conference session, she’s working on a scarf or a sweater or hat. Unlike my watercolors, she can knit without looking at her project much, so it’s particularly good for things like sitting in Phoenix Comicon panels.

paper-bag-scrapbook-supplies-ed

Do you carry craft supplies or projects with you? What’s in your bag?




Microblog Mondays: Write in your own space

Make a Plan to See Smithsonian Museums in D.C.

Smithsonian visitor center castle

If you’re traveling to Washington D.C. for the first time and your list of things to do includes “see the Smithsonian,” you might be in for a surprise.

The Smithsonian Institution is not a single sight you can check off in an afternoon. It’s a collection of 19 different museums of varying sizes, research centers, gardens, galleries, and a zoo. There’s just way too much stuff to see it all in one trip, let alone a day.

In fact, a couple of the museums aren’t even in D.C., they’re in New York. A few more are scattered throughout the D.C. metro area. However, most of them (13 or so) are clustered right around the National Mall.

I’m calling them the “Mall Smithsonians” for short.

National Mall

In the coming weeks, Phillip will be sharing what it was like inside the Mall Smithsonians he was able to visit during our short D.C. trip – specifically, the American History Museum, Air and Space Museum, and café of the Native American Museum.

But, first, I wanted to give you some practical information about how to tackle the Mall Smithsonians.

Depending on how much time you have, you’ll probably want to pick 1-3 museums and prioritize the parts of each you want to see most. Choosing what you’re interested in is the easy part, though. Figuring out how to get there, when you can go, and where you can eat or find wifi or store your stuff gets a bit more confusing.

So here are some tips to help you make the most of these Mall museums.


DC

6 Things to Know about the Mall Smithsonians

1. Admission is free.

Donations are, of course, accepted and appreciated.

Since you’re not tied to paying a daily entrance fee, you can be more flexible in how you experience the museums.

You don’t have to spend the whole day in one museum…

  • If you’re short on time, stop in for an hour or two. Or just long enough to see whatever you were dying to see before leaving town.
  • If you’re tied up during the day (with business, a conference, or other obligations), check the hours. You may be able to do an evening visit.
  • Go museum hopping, seeing just the exhibits you’re most interested in at each.

You don’t have to see it all in one day…

  • Take your time checking out a museum you’re particularly interested in. Come back the next day if there’s more you want to see.
  • Instead of one long day, break a visit up into two weekday afternoons or weekend mornings, when crowds are typically lighter.
  • Leave when your (or your kid/s, travel companion/s, etc.) energy begins to wane, knowing you can pick up where you left off after a nap, a change in activity, or another day.

There are a few activities that do require free or paid tickets (like the IMAX theaters), but these are the exception rather than the rule.

Smithsonian visitor center castle

2. They’re open daily.

Mall Smithsonians are typically open every day, unless it’s Christmas (December 25) or if they’re closed for renovation.

  • Most have opening hours from 10am to 5:30pm (exceptions below).
  • In addition, some have extended hours on certain days or close early for special events. Double check the Smithsonian Special Hours Calendar to see what’s up before you go.

3. Large bags are not recommended.

  • Some museums (noted below) have storage lockers available for smallish items (like maybe under-your-airplane-seat sized bags).
  • For larger luggage, ask if you can leave it where you are/were staying (most hotels and Airbnbs will allow guests to store luggage before check in or after check out).
  • Otherwise, your best bet is the Tiburon Lockers Baggage Check Counter at Union Station, Gate A ($6/hour). (From there, you can take the DC Circulator to the Mall.)

4. You’ll need to go through security as you enter.

  • Bags will be checked either by hand or X-ray machine, even if you’re planning to store them in a locker.
  • During peak times, this can cause lines, especially at the Air and Space Museum. So, even though you don’t have to pay admission, you may have to wait to get in.

DC Museum cafe

5. Many of the museums have a café or food court.

  • You can also bring your own food for a picnic on the Mall’s lawn or in the Portrait Gallery’s courtyard.
  • As long as everything is sealed up well, you can carry food and water with you in your bag or store it in a locker.
  • Map of food vendors on the National Mall – with menus. Or check the list below.

6. Parking: don’t count on it.

  • None of the Mall Smithsonians have their own designated parking.
  • The Smithsonian Parking Map (PDF) lists other local lots.
  • Consider alternative transportation, like the DC Circulator (which stops near all the Mall-area Smithsonians) or the Metrorail (which has a stop – literally called “Smithsonian” – that exits onto the Mall itself in the middle of a bunch of museums.)

With this in mind, driving (and attempting to park) in the area may be more trouble than it’s worth – unless you need a place to stash your oversized luggage (see #3).

 

Air and Space Museum

Museum by Museum Guide

Here are the Smithsonian museums located around the National Mall listed geographically, roughly west to east – from the Washington Monument to the U.S. Capitol Building (Smithsonian National Mall Map PDF).

I’ve gathered information about each to help you with planning:

  • Nearest Metrorail stop/s and where to exit*
  • Nearest Capital Bikeshare rental station/s and station number/s*
  • Hours (if different than 10am to 5:30pm)
  • Important things to note (closed to the public, requires a timed ticket, etc.)
  • If there are cafés (or food courts, carts, kiosks, etc.), wifi, storage lockers, and/or bike racks on site.
  • Other features (garden, planetarium, etc.)

*More info in our post on transportation tips for the National Mall!
Washington DC

On the Mall –

National Museum of African American History and Culture

1400 Constitution Avenue, NW

  • Metro: Federal Triangle or Smithsonian (Mall exit)
  • Bikeshare: 15th St & Constitution Ave NW, Bike station 31321
  • Requires timed ticket.
  • Café

National Museum of American History

1300 Constitution Avenue, NW

  • Metro: Federal Triangle or Smithsonian (Mall exit)
  • Bikeshare: 10th St & Constitution Ave NW, Bike station 31219 or Smithsonian-National Mall / Jefferson Dr & 12th St SW, Bike station 31248
  • Cafés on lower level and 1st floor
  • Wifi in Welcome Center and cafés (free)
  • Lockers available
  • Bike racks outside

National Museum of Natural History

10th St. and Constitution Ave., NW

  • Metro: Smithsonian (Mall exit)
  • Bikeshare: 10th St & Constitution Ave NW, Bike station 31219 or Smithsonian-National Mall / Jefferson Dr & 12th St SW, Bike station 31248
  • Butterfly Pavilion – tickets $6. Free admission on Tuesdays with timed ticket.
  • IMAX Theatre – tickets required (about $9-15/adult).
  • Cafés on ground level, food carts outside
  • Lockers available
  • Bike racks outside (Constitution Avenue entrance)

Freer Gallery of Art (Asian art)

Jefferson Dr. and 12th St., SW

  • Metro: Smithsonian (Mall exit)
  • Bikeshare: USDA / 12th & Independence Ave SW, Bike station 31217 or Smithsonian-National Mall / Jefferson Dr & 12th St SW, Bike station 31248
  • Closed to the public until October 14, 2017.
  • Lockers available

Arthur M. Sackler Gallery (Asian art)

1050 Independence Ave., SW

  • Metro: Smithsonian (Mall exit)
  • Bikeshare: Independence Ave & L’Enfant Plaza SW/DOE, Bike station 31633
  • Closed to the public until October 14, 2017.

National Museum of African Art

950 Independence Ave., SW

  • Metro: Smithsonian (Mall exit)
  • Bikeshare: Independence Ave & L’Enfant Plaza SW/DOE, Bike station 31633
  • Lockers available
  • Bike racks outside (between African Art Museum and Sacker Gallery, outside Haupt Garden gates on Independence Avenue)

Smithsonian Institution Building (The Castle)

1000 Jefferson Dr., SW

  • Metro: Smithsonian (Mall exit)
  • Bikeshare: Independence Ave & L’Enfant Plaza SW/DOE, Bike station 31633 or Smithsonian-National Mall / Jefferson Dr & 12th St SW, Bike station 31248
  • Smithsonian Visitor Center
  • Daily hours: 8:30am – 5:30pm. It opens earlier than the other museums, so you can start there and get oriented.
  • Café, food carts outside seasonally
  • Wifi (free)
  • Bike racks outside

Hirshhorn Museum (international modern and contemporary art)

Independence Ave. and 7th St., SW

  • Metro: L’Enfant Plaza (Maryland Ave. exit)
  • Bikeshare: L’Enfant Plaza / 7th & C St SW, Bike station 31218 or Independence Ave & L’Enfant Plaza SW/DOE, Bike station 31633
  • Sculpture Garden – open 7:30 a.m. to dusk
  • Café (dessert and coffee)
  • Wifi (free)
  • Lockers available
  • Bike racks outside

National Air and Space Museum

Independence Ave. and 6th St., SW

  • Metro: L’Enfant Plaza (Maryland Ave. exit)
  • Bikeshare: Maryland & Independence Ave SW, Bike station 31243
  • Open until 7:30pm on select dates.
  • Entrances on Independence Avenue and the Mall/Jefferson Avenue. If lines are long at one entrance, try the other.
  • IMAX Theatre – tickets required (about $9-15/adult).
  • Planetarium – tickets required (some shows are free, others may be about $9/adult).
  • Observatory
  • Food Court (First Floor-East Wing), food carts outside
  • Bike racks outside
  • Wifi (free)

National Museum of the American Indian

4th St. & Jefferson Dr., SW

  • Metro: L’Enfant Plaza (Maryland Ave. exit)
  • Bikeshare: Maryland & Independence Ave SW, Bike station 31243
  • Café, espresso bar
  • Wifi (free)
  • Bike racks outside

 

Walking in DC - treasury

Near the Mall –

Renwick Gallery (contemporary craft and decorative art)

1700 Pennsylvania Ave., NW

  • Metro: Farragut West or Farragut North
  • Bikeshare: 17th & G St NW, Bike station 31277
  • Barrier-free access at 17th Street entrance.

Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery

8th and F Sts., NW

  • Metro: Gallery Place-Chinatown (9th St. exit)
  • Bikeshare: 7th & F St NW/Portrait Gallery, Bike station 31232
  • Both museums are inside the Donald W. Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture.
  • Daily hours: 11:30am – 7pm
  • Kogod Courtyard – bag lunches allowed.
  • Café
  • Wifi (free)
  • Lockers and self-check coat room (near the F Street Lobby) available

National Postal Museum

2 Massachusetts Avenue, NE

  • Metro: Union Station (Mass. Ave. exit)
  • Bikeshare: North Capitol St & F St NW, Bike station 31624
  • Lockers available
  • Bike racks outside

National Mall, Washington DC


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