National American Indian MuseumNational American Indiana Museum
Washington DC

After parking a couple blocks away, it was interesting to walk past the Air and Space Museum toward the Capital and see the new museum.

As we approached the side of the building we noticed lots of interesting plants and a pond near the entrance.

Corn, Beans, and SquashNational American Indian Museum and Capital

Upon closer observation we noticed the plants included patches of corn, beans, and squash ("3 sisters") growing along the wall and a pond with ducks and lily pads.

Pond near Capitalduck in Washington DC

Inside was a huge open area for dancing and other activities. After meeting Carolyn and Karmen, we walked to the food court and enjoyed the authentic food from around the world.

NAIMWe spent the rest of the afternoon exploring a wide range of exhibits. We were particularly interested in the exploration of the varied cultural and spiritual aspects of the many groups depicted.

The interactive artifact databases were very cool. Too bad they aren't accessible through the Internet so everyone could enjoy this fantastic resource!
NAIMNAIM

We may have been moving a bit too slow for Carolyn and Karmen. But they stayed with us for a few hours, before having to depart and leave us to proceed at our own pace.

NAIMNAIM

We covered most of the main exhibits but by the time we finished, it was getting late. Time to head back to the car. We walked past the US Department of Education building. No one around the "schoolhouse" entrances.

US Dept of Education

Trip Home

Our adventure ended with a drive back to Staunton, Virginia and our motorhome. Everything was going great until we reached the exit for the Interstate heading south. Cars were backed up for miles. Apparently a truck hit an overpass and caught fire. The Interstate was closed indefinitely. Of course we didn't know this at the time. After a couple of hours stopped behind traffic, we decided to cut across the median and try our luck at the back roads. Although we were tired when we finally got home, it was a grand adventure!


Created by Annette Lamb and Larry Johnson, 3/05.