The first time I saw this aircraft carrier docked at New York City I was driving along 12th Avenue heading downtown. It wasn’t until my third visit to the city that I got to experience how deeply mismanaged this attraction is. The security procedures are only for show, the staff Read more
Underneath the two square waterfalls where the twin towers once stood in New York City lies the memorial to the 3,000 who died. It sits in the original basement space of the towers with fragments of the mangled structure on display. I had previously seen one such fragment in Albany Read more
It was hot. Although the observatory said the temperature hovered around 16 to 20 degrees for the two days the King was in Ottawa to open Parliament, press positions were often unshaded, on concrete, with no access to water or toilets outside the secured area. If we left the secured Read more
Baltimore doesn’t have a history museum or a municipal museum, but its growth has been so closely tied to the industrialization of food, machines, and trade that the museum of industry might as well be its history museum. In the mid 20th century, Baltimore had plenty of vegetable, meat, and Read more
Their use of a side-by-side comparison of perspectives confronts the Manifest Destiny narrative of American expansionism. Start your visit at the fourth floor and work your way down to get state-by-state and issue-by-issue highlights of what went wrong at every step of the way. The second and third floors are Read more
After looking at galleries of old world art and last century American art, it’s nice to be in a space where the building’s physical layout makes sense. The logical donut shape makes it easy to navigate between galleries and levels. If you’re not a big fan of modern art like Read more
The galleries are placed in chronological order from the lobby to the far end, but most visitors will do a loop at the back of the building to minimize distance walked. This means the Chinese art galleries go in reverse order from gallery 13’s Qing Dynasty vases to gallery 19’s Read more
There are two places to visit. This downtown Washington, D.C. location on the national mall and the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia. Visit both for free. The first floor exhibits are only interesting for anyone who has never been to an airport. You can board the B747 and DC-7, Read more
You get six free stamps with every visit, it’s truly a stamp collector’s paradise. From the Pony Express to FedEx, the free-to-enter museum is all about the history of the postal service in America, even during colonial times. There’s lots to see and learn, but too many exhibits require visitors Read more
Americans don’t have deep historical roots, their approach to history mirrors that of Catholic relics. They encase fragments of flags that flew during major battles in a glass case and show off Lincoln’s paperweights. None of those items have any historical significance apart from being associated with an event or Read more