National Geographic Society, Washington D.C.

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Now, common! Who hasn't been fascinated with National Geographic magazines? There are tons and tons of options of what to see during a visit to DC. But, I thougt, this will be one of the places at the top of my "must do" list. Well, it was quite a disappointment. They really only have a photographic display and they rotate subjects often. So, call in advance to see what they are showing at the time of your visit. It's located very close to the Dupont Circle area which is quaint. We found a great place to have breakfast there. See my restaurant tips. Admission to the museum is free to most exhibitions. Opened Monday-Saturday 9am-5pm and Sunday 10am-5pm.

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NG has an office here with additional photos surrounding their building. I'm not sure I saw the whole thing inside, but it was pretty nice in there. They had a big area for photos and a display on a certain subject. While I was there it was a soccer display, along with a video screen showing great goals. They had photos of kids/people from around the world playing soccer, so it's pretty cool.

Surrounding the building was something that was even more interesting. They had photos taken from around the world, mostly hotspots, wars and disasters. The photography is outstanding, and the stories even more so. Also videos running continuously.

They have an additional building across the courtyard with more photos and a bathroom!

The photo displayed here stunned me. It was a photo displayed outside the building, about a little girl with beautiful blue eyes who was selling her 3 or 4 toys & dolls to get money for food for her family. She was a little kid in Sarajevo, real sad. Look at her clothes, the colored gloves, the boots, the red jacket and her selling her most precious belongings for money. I wonder what she's doing now.

Well worth a look. You'll spend 45 minutes to 4 hours here.

Before the Internet (B.I.), I would look through the pile of National Geographics my parent had collected over 40 years of existance, and find topics for my research paper. Full color photography, great research, and editorial excellence describing this vast and varied world of ours. Logically, National Geographic, the Smithsonian Institution, and the Discovery Channel all work and live in the greater Washington DC Area.

National Geographic HQ is its own mini-museum, with rotating events and exhibits that bring locals away from the tourists that crowd the mall.

Also located in the main downtown area of DC, is the National Geographic Building (at least it was then!) We had a good old look around at their many amazing exhibits. It is well worth a go! I now always keep a National Geographic Atlas at hand to see more details on the trips that you VTers are putting out there!

The ground floor of the National Geographic Society is an educational museum. I went here as part of a seventh grade field trip on Tuesday, 27 April 1982. Back then they offered video clips and life-sized hands-on displays. Now, it is surely more technical and even more interactive. It was refreshing to visit this hands-on type museum, when normally, they say "don't touch".