Last weekend’s derecho caused high winds and torrential rains to wipe
out power across the Washington area, and temperatures
continue to climb toward 100 degrees. Power remains out at many
homes and businesses across the area, so we know many of you
are still facing the heat. Get out of the house and give
yourself a cultural lesson—while soaking up as much A/C as you can—by
visiting one of the area’s open museums and art galleries.
Smithsonian Institution
National Mall
Hours vary by location
All Smithsonian branches are open today, so stop
by one of the institute’s 17 museums and galleries located in the
District,
including the Air and Space Museum, the American Indian Museum,
the Museum of African Art, and the National Portrait Gallery.
For a full list of hours, visit their website.
Newseum
Pennsylvania Ave. and Sixth St., NW
Open 9 to 5
Check out what other cities were affected by last
weekend’s storm by walking through the Newseum’s Front Page Gallery,
which
showcases the front pages of up to 80 newspapers from around
the nation and the world. Summer bonus: Visitors under 18 get
in free with each paid adult ticket (limit six kids). Read more
at the Newseum’s website.
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
100 Raoul Wallenberg Place, SW
Last public entry is at 4:30 PM; museum closes at 5:30
On your visit to this free museum, be sure to stop
by the permanent exhibition, “The Holocaust,” which presents the
history
of the murder of millions of Jews by the Nazi regime through
artifacts, videos, and eyewitness testimony. Also take a peek
at the propaganda used by Nazis to achieve power in “State of
Deception: The Power of Nazi Propaganda.” For more information,
visit the website.
Museum of Crime & Punishment
575 7th St., NW
Open until 7 PM
Learn what it takes to catch a criminal at this interactive museum, which features a history of crime exhibit, a simulated
police station, and a crime lab. For more info, visit their website.
Madame Tussauds
1001 F St., NW
(corner of Tenth and F streets)
Open until 6 PM
Hang out with the stars this afternoon at Madame
Tussaud’s, home of wax figures of everyone from Abraham Lincoln to J.Lo.
Visit the Presidents Gallery for a little pre-Fourth of July
fun and meet all 44. Find out more online.
National Building Museum
401 F St., NW
Open until 5 PM
Visit the museum dedicated to architecture,
design, and engineering, which is gearing up for an exhibition
showcasing buildings
from around the world made entirely out of Lego bricks (running through Labor Day)*. You can also check out
the “House & Home” exhibit, which takes visitors on a
journey through familiar and unusual homes from around the country.
For more info, visit their website.
Mount Vernon Estate
3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Hwy
Alexandria, VA
Open until 5 PM
It’s easy to spend an entire day at George
Washington’s Mount Vernon estate, which is open and unaffected by
Friday’s freak
thunderstorm. Tour the first President’s mansion, the
outbuildings, and the expansive grounds. Breaks from exploring can be
taken at the food court as well as the Mount Vernon Inn
Restaurant, which serves lunch daily.
AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center
8633 Colesville Rd.
Silver Spring
Heading to the movie theater on a hot summer’s day is a time-honored tradition. Catch an artsy matinee at this Silver Spring
institution, currently showing Wes Anderson’s
Moonrise Kingdom and
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel starring Dame Judi Dench.
Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum
105-107 S. Fairfax St.
Alexandria
Open until 5 PM
See where Martha Washington and Robert E. Lee went
to fill their prescriptions at this family-run apothecary that has been
at its Old Town Alexandria location since 1796. The museum is
open for tours from 1 to 5 and features a collection of botanicals,
handblown glass, medical equipment, and archival diaries and
ledgers.
Alexandria Lyceum
201 S. Washington St.
Alexandria
Open until 5pm
History buffs can power up at this history museum,
which documents Alexandria’s history from the time it was inhabited by
Native Americans to the present. Those with particular interest
in the Civil War will enjoy the rotating exhibit, “Occupied
City: Life in Civil War Alexandria,” at the museum through
September 2013.
National Children’s Museum
112 Waterfront St.
National Harbor, Maryland
Open until 5 PM
The newly minted National Children’s museum is the perfect place to let antsy kids explore while staying cool. Today, the
Launch Zone will be facilitating the creation of firework art to celebrate Fourth of July from 11 to 6.
Dennis and Phillip Ratner Museum
10001 Old Georgetown Rd.
Bethesda
Open until 4 PM
See the work of local painter and sculptor
Phillip Ratner as well as pieces by emerging
artists on display at this Bethesda museum. Ratner is most famous for
his sculptures at the
Statue of Liberty and on Ellis Island, but his work at the
museum is largely inspired by the Hebrew Bible, fairy tales, and
children’s stories.
*This post has been updated from a previous version.
