There’s more to Smithsonian than the Natural History Museum
Illustration by Reese Cilley.
Carleigh Lacroix, Contributing Writer
Don’t get me wrong, The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History is a fantastic museum. For those of us who grew up with fixations on dinosaurs, mummies or all things creepy-crawly, the Natural History Museum was the place to be. However, this means that when you grow older and plan a return visit to the museum, you are faced with one major obstacle — the children.
It’s important to remember that the Natural History Museum is one of the more child-friendly choices among the Smithsonian. The content is appropriate for all ages and there are plenty of exhibits that you can reach out and touch, perfect for restless, sticky fingers. You might not realize the target audience when you first enter the building, but by the time you reach the main portion of the museum a wall of noise stops you in your tracks.
Everywhere you look, more kids seem to appear out of thin air, shouting excitedly over their siblings or whining until their parents give in and stop at the gift shop. They form layers of tripping hazards around the exhibits and you’re forced to keep your distance, scared to upset the balance and set off a chain reaction of tears and red faces.
It’s possible that this could have just been a scheduling error on my part. The day that a friend and I were able to visit the Natural History Museum was a rainy Sunday at the end of spring break, so it’s no wonder that droves of parents were scrambling to find an indoor activity.
If you find yourself in Washington, D.C. under similar conditions and are hoping to avoid the screeching excitement of the Natural History Museum, there are so many other options for you to explore. With the entire Smithsonian system at your fingertips, there’s no need for you to feel disappointed about missing out on a single museum.
The Botanical Gardens, for example, are open year-round and provide the perfect reprieve from the rush of the city. The indoor green space is lush and fragrant and the dry heat of the desert exhibit was the perfect balm to a day of dreary D.C. weather.
Another great spot to visit is the National Portrait Gallery. There is a huge collection of art there, not just the collection of presidential portraits, so there is something for everyone. Additionally, its location across from the Capital One Arena makes it the perfect afternoon activity for those planning to attend a game or a concert later in the evening.
The Natural History Museum itself is wonderful, but there are so many museums and galleries in D.C. that you’ll miss out on if you get caught up in the urgent, pressing crowd of the institution.
It’s also worth mentioning that most of the facilities that fall under the Smithsonian Institute have free entry, and D.C. is a convenient Amtrak ride away from Richmond. A day trip to the museums becomes the perfect weekend outing for VCU students, as long as they remember to appreciate everything that D.C. has to offer and not just the greatest hits.
