Air & Space Museum, Monuments

We visited Washinton DC several times this last weekend. Friday night we picked up William and Beth's Uncle J. from Reagan National Airport and then walked around the monuments. It was wonderful seeing them lit up. The architects of the various monuments have gone to a great deal of trouble to place the lights where they will have the most effect. It was a very neat experience, I highly recommend it.

Sunday we went back, this time to explore the Air & Space Museum. William and Beth had a lot of fun in the "How Things Fly" exhibit. There a a large number of hands on experiments in this area, and I think they eventually tried them all.

In this picture William was seeing how much the atmosphere weighs against you at sea level, Denver, CO, and Mt. Everest.


Beth enjoyed making a ball dance up and down by moving her hands over an air vent.


There was a model airplane making/flying contest that they both entered. They didn't win, but they have been making airplanes ever since, and have come up with some very good ones thanks to help from Uncle J.


On the way back to the car we visited the Monument to Japanese Americans. It is for those who were held in interment camps during World War II. It is a place our world leaders should visit on a regular basis. I know it certainly opened William and Beth's eyes.


The monument is dominated by this peaceful reflecting pool fountain.




We all took a moment to read about what happened.


This beautiful sculpture was, I felt, a very fitting depiction of their plight.