Museum+Momma: Catching Up...Yet again, yet again.

Hum, so, wow. It's been a long, long time since I've updated my blog. Bad, mommy blogger, bad. Suffice it to say that I have actually been going to museums and other historic sites. I just haven't had (ahem, or taken) the time to actually sit down and devote an entire nap time to writing. That said...I'm not going to devote this entire nap time to writing either, so I'm going to do more of a photo essay...for the sake of time, yours and mine.

Since the end of February, Diggory and I have been to six sites together, and I went to one more without him. So, yes, I'm a little behind in my one-a-week, goal...maybe I'll play catch up one of these days. First, I wanted to go to the Alexandria Black History Museum, and I thought Black History Month would be the perfect motivation to final get there. It's a very small museum, but the permanent exhibition, Securing the Blessings of Liberty, on the history of African-Americans in the Alexandria region is extremely well done, full of information, and just every so slightly text-heavy...an incredible feat for such a large and important topic. I especially liked the panel of photographs listing homes in the area with important slave and African-American histories. Maybe we'll devise our own walking tour one of these days. From a logistical stand point, there's plenty of free and metered street parking in the area, and the museum is directly across Wythe Street from the Charles Houston Recreation Center, which has a small soft playroom.

Checking out the permanent exhibition at the Alexandria Black History Museum.

The Alexandria Black History Museum in the background, across the street, is partially housed inside the historic Robert H. Robinson Library, built in 1940 following a sit-in at the segregated Alexandria Library.

Over the next several weeks, Diggory and I visited several sites with my parents, aka Nana Lynn and Grandpa, who were in town for a few weeks. First, we visited the Nordic Cool exhibition at the Kennedy Center. The exhibition closed on March 17th...another reminder to get my posts up in a timely manner...but the building and performances themselves have an excellent history, and it's a marvel of architecture, to be sure. There's a parking ramp under the Kennedy Center, and it's not terribly expensive, if I recall. If you're on the metro, there's a free shuttle to and from the Kennedy Center from the Foggy Bottom metro station.

Checking out Scandinavian design with Grandpa.

Half Norwegian? I think so. (Posing with the Lego mural.)

Building with Legos. I didn't know they were Danish-designed, did you?

"Hi, Grandpa!" Inside one of the artworks in the Nordic Cool exhibition.

My very own little Viking. He's only an eighth Norwegian, but he somehow got the blonde hair and blue eyes! Woo hoo!

Just a few days later, we all made the trek to Hot Springs, Virginia for the Virginia Association of Museums Annual Conference. I was presenting a workshop on mannequin dressing for museum textile collections with a lovely friend and colleague of mine...and I have to admit, I was perhaps a little more excited about spending some time at The Homestead than I was about the conference itself. The Homestead was opened in 1766 and has an extremely rich history. The Jefferson Pools are their own little wonder...ever taken a dip in a hot spring, surrounded by an octagonal building built (and just ever so slightly patched up) in 1761? I have.

Diggory and Grandpa at The Homestead.

Building a snowman at The Homestead.

Inside the Ladies' Pool House in Warm Spring, Virginia.

The lobby at The Homestead.

See, we actually did do some work?! The presenters at VAM.

On our sojourn back to Northern Virginia, we stopped at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello. A check box ticked off on that ol' bucket list. I won't describe all the details, but I was pleasantly surprised that they were so child friendly and accommodating. Diggory got sort of upset at one point, and the tour guides guided my mom (God, love her) someplace else (where ever that was) and brought us the stroller, etc. I think he just really didn't want to be on the tour...he wanted to run around, and I don't blame him, he'd been strapped into the car seat for over two hours already. So, once the tour was over, he did get to run around, and he promptly fell into the mud. Red mud. It was awesome. Luckily, there were bathrooms nearby. Logistically, the site itself is great...the new(ish) visitor's center and museum are extremely accessible, there's a shuttle up to the house itself, the cafe is great (lots of high chairs and indoor and outdoor seating), and there are family restrooms just past the entrance.

Yep, red mud.

Our tour group entering Monticello.

Momma and Diggory at Monticello.

Grandpa taking pictures...we did a lot of that. Beautiful day, and beautiful views of the Charlottesville area.

Before Grandpa and Nana left, we needed to check some things off Grandpa's sight seeing list. Namely, the exhibition The Civil War in American Art at the Smithsonian American Art Museum (which is beautiful and closes on April 28th) and President Lincoln's Cottage. Both of these don't really count as blog-worthy sites, not because they're not awesome (they are) but because Diggory and I already "did" SAAM last year and he didn't come with my dad and me to Lincoln's Cottage. But, alas, they are museums...and you should go to them. A few notes about Lincoln's Cottage. It's accessible through the Eagle Gate of the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Northwest Washington, DC. Admission is $15 for adults and $5 for children ages 6-12. Children under six are not encouraged to visit, due to battlefield imagery and tour length of approximately one hour, though I suspect it's more of the tour length that's the issue. Tours are guided in small groups, and once you're in the house and on your tour, an upset child would be a huge distraction and inconvenience. Just sayin'.

Nana pushing the stroller through the water scrims in the courtyard at SAAM/NPG. Do you see our "artful" designs in the lower left?

Taking pictures after the tour at President Lincoln's Cottage. Wonderfully restored, great visitor's center and permanent exhibition, free parking, not hard to get to.

Ha, ha! That brings us to today! This morning Diggory and I ventured into Georgetown to run an errand, and I thought, "Hey, let's just check out the Old Stone House while we're all the way into the city." So, we did. And it's true when they call it an urban oasis. The garden in the back is so sweet and quiet, in the midst of the chaos that is M Street NW. I've walked by many times, and I think I did poke my head in the gift shop on the lower level once, but I'd never been into the actually museum. Very interesting, indeed. The house itself is the oldest structure still standing in the District of Columbia. Built between 1764 and 1766, the house was used as a residence and merchant's shop, and even a car dealership until it was transferred to the National Park Service in 1950. And, wonder of all wonders, more than 85% of the structure is original...that's really quite a feat. Parking can be tricky in Georgetown, but there's a public ramp right next door...and don't discount street parking, though it can be a little tight. The last two times I've been in Georgetown I've found a free spot and a metered spot within two blocks of where I needed to be, and today, our meter still had 48 minutes left on it when we arrived. And that's really something...especially when a quarter only buys you seven minutes. There aren't any public restrooms at the Old Stone house, but there's a bounty of restaurants and cafes nearby, and a Barnes and Noble right across the street, if need be. Oh, and other than the ground floor, it's definitely not stroller accessible...but you probably assumed that.

Okay, that's it for today! Where will be go next? I've got some ideas...stay tuned.