On The Fly

This place is more for growing kids then younger ones. Definitely glad we did make the visit but ours were a bit to young. When you walk in you get airport or bank vibes so definitely not the same as the other Smithsonians. We did love the trains and cars, and the Dolby section was also very eye catching.

You can marvel at the beautiful minerals and gems for hours. The collection is masterfully curated, and the diversity of specimens is staggering. You will find sizable gems,including the hope diamond. This is a museum that you can lose time in. Be sure to visit the fossils and look for the megladon .

The incredible care that goes into maintaining artifacts from our history is incredible. It was amazing seeing the rich history of our nation, while taking time to see where we’ve really come from. This is not a place to go if you only have “a few minutes”. I made the mistake of only spending 1.5 hours the first time I visited the museum…. This last time, I spent over 4 and could still have spent more time.

This museum is one of the best put-together museums of United States History that I've been to. The exhibits set the bar for how exhibits should be done. Allow at least a day preferably two visit this museum, then you might be able read almost everything and watch all of the videos. I highly recommend this museum for those interested in United States history and those wishing to learn more in the topic. This is definitely a must see attraction.

It's free and very impressive. The cafeteria downstairs is very good and clean. It was impressive as well. The salad by is charged by weight. Considering the fact the place is free, the over charged food is well worth it. It's a big place and you can easily spend a whole day there. No parking just walk there as it's a great walk.

This place is often referred to by local guides as America’s Attic. It is as eclectic as the American Experience. You can see the actual flag that was the premise for the Star Spangled Banner, Julia Child’s kitchen and a remarkable history about how immigration has influenced the American palate, First Lady inauguration gowns, old coins, some of the first steam engines, or some ruby slippers to take you back to Kansas. It’s just so much stuff; fortunately, they have tours throughout the day to help guide you and you should definitely take advantage of those. This is probably one of the most interactive Smithsonians with special emphasis on keeping the younger crowd entertained - including a whole hands on area dedicated to sparking the inventive spirit of our children!!!! There are also clean bathrooms, lockers, multiple stores, and a food court/cafe. It’s just so awesome, it’s exhausting!