Thursday, January 30, 2025

Two of Washington DC's Smaller Museums

The Talking Tree

 

If you are a regular reader of my posts, you know that I love exploring small museums. Last summer, on a visit to Washington DC, I had the chance to spend some time at two of the city’s less well known offerings, but ones that are definitely worth your time.

Planet Word


I am a lover of language. The history of words and phrases. The connection between the ways that different languages evolved, and the ways that they resolve issues of communication fascinate me. So, finding a museum dedicated to these ideas piqued my interest. Planet Word occupies a building that was constructed in 1869 and opened as The Franklin School, one of the early modern public schools built in Washington.




The museum focuses on English, its on-going development and current usages. In Where Do Words Come From a giant word wall interacts with visitors, exploring the ways that English has incorporated words from other languages around the world.





The Spoken Word offers the opportunity to meet speakers of other languages. They introduce us to their native language and the thing that make it unique.




The Library explores the language and imagery of books.





Planet Word is a truly interactive museum. Its exhibits are set up for visitors of all ages. If you love language it is worth a visit.   

Immigrant Food


If you are in the area of Planet Word, I highly recommend stopping into Immigrant Food for a meal. The restaurant uses the cultural diversity of the United States and the immigrants who have arrived here as its inspiration. Its has a menu that varied and delicious, with many choices for people with a wide variety of pallets.

National Museum of Women in the Arts



 

If you walk three blocks south from Planet Word you will find the National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA).

Noir 40 by Angèle Etoundi Essamba


The NMWA was opened in 1987 as the first museum in the world solely dedicated to championing women through the arts. It is housed in the former Masonic Temple, a beautiful building built in 1903. The museum has 4500 works representing over 1000 artists in its collection, including Washington’s only Frieda Kahlo painting. 

Reapers by Alison Saar

Rockefeller Center by Bernice Abbott

They Call Me Redbone, But I'd Rather by Strawberry Shortcake by Amy Sherald

Self-portrait dedicated to Leon Trotsky by Frieda Kahlo


The museum also hosts some great temporary exhibits. When I visited in August 2024, Hung Liu: Making History was on display. Liu (1948-2021) was born in China, and move to the U.S. in 1984. Her work focuses on the lives of working class women.


Women Working: Loom

Mu NU/Yellow River

Winter with Cynical fish

Another exhibit was Holding Ground: Artist Books for the NMWA. Nine book artists created works to inaugurate a new section of the museum. The works of art were created to celebrate the many spaces where women’s creativity blooms.


Mujeres Buscadoras, Fragmentary Memories by Maria Veronica San Martin

Many Hands by Julie N Chen

In Bllom by Suzanne Coley



Remember, while big cities have big museums, it is often the smaller museums that offer a unique look at the world we live in.

Nuts and Bolts


  • Planet Word is located at 925 13th Street NW, but its entrance is around the corner on K street.
  • It is open Wed - Mon 10 AM - 5 PM (until 6 PM on Sat. And Sun.)
  • The museum is free at all times, but a suggested donation of $15 is recommended.


 

  • Immigrant Food is located at 925 13th Street NW on the ground floor of Planet Word.


 

  • National Museum of Women in the Arts is located at 1250 New York Ave NW
  • It is open Tue - Sun 10 AM-5 PM.
  • The entrance fee is $16 Adults/ $13 Senior/DC Residents $13

Thursday, January 23, 2025

Museum of the City of New York

 


 

Almost every city or town has a historical museum of some kind. New York City just has to be different. It has not, not two, not three, but SIX such museums. Each o the five boroughs has an official historical society, and then there is the Museum of the City of New York (MCNY). 

Entrance to the Central Park Conservatory Garden


The museum was founded in 1923 as a somewhat more populist historical resource than the NY Historical Society was at the time. The MCNY was originally housed in Gracie Mansion, the city owned home of New York’s mayors. Its mission was and is to provide a look at both the historic and current lives of residents of the city. In 1926 New York started planning a permanent home, and donated land along the east side of Central Park, between 103rd and 104th street. In 1932 MCNY opened in its Georgian styled building, and over the past 100 years its collection has grown to over 750,000 objects.





The MCNY has several ongoing exhibitions that explore aspects of the city’s history. Timescapes is a 28-minute long video presentation that explores the history of the city. Activist New York offers a voice to the many political movements that have been a part of New York life since the city was founded. The Stetthiemer Dollhouse: In a New Light is a wonderful display of large dollhouse created during the period between the world wars. The house has been recently refurbished and provides a wonderful insight into both the idea of collecting miniatures and grandeur of the 5th Ave mansion of that era.

 





There are also excellent special exhibits. Changing the Face of Democracy (through July 20, 2025) is a tribute to Shirley Chisholm (1924-2005) on the 100th anniversary of her birth. Born and raised in Brooklyn, Chisholm was the first Black woman elected to serve in the House of Representatives of the United States. She was also the first Black woman to run for the nomination of a major political party. She was a leading progressive voice in Congress, helping to establish the WIC program to provide food for poor families, fighting for the Equal Rights Amendment, and for guaranteeing the civil rights for all. She also was one of the first elected politicians to take a stand against the war in Vietnam. 


Portrait of Shirley Chisholm by Sherman Beck

Shirley Chisholm by Richard Avedon

On the Mall at a protest of the Vietnam War

Shirley Chisholm and Adam Clayton Powell Jr by Fred McDarrah



Also on display is Art Deco City: New York Post Cards from the collection of Leonard A Lauder (through Feb 17, 2025). The 1930’s was the era of Art Deco design, and New York was at its center. From the architecture of the Empire State Building and Rockefeller Center, to the new Marine Terminal at the Glenn H. Curtis (now Laguardia) airport, to the design of the 1939 World’s Fair, Art Deco filled the city. It was beautifully captured in the many postcards produced during this time period. The drawings and photographs provide a great historical record of the era.



The George Washington Bridge

Harris Field




Celebrating The Normandie ocean liner

The Chrysler Building





Finally, I highly recommend going to see You Are Here (through Oct 5, 2025). This video presentation is a celebration of New York as one of the most filmed cities in the world. For over 100 years film makers have used NYC as a backdrop for their stories. You Are Here uses over 1000 cinematic clips to show the many ways the city has been presented.

Nuts and Bolts


  • The Museum of the City of New York is located at 1220 5th Ave. it is open 7 days a week - 10 AM - 5 PM M-F and 10 AM - 6 PM on Sa-Su.
  • The entrance fees are: Adults $23/ Seniors $18/ Students $14/ Under 18 free. New York State residents can pay what they want at all times, and Wednesday is free for all visitors.

Thursday, January 16, 2025

Historic Athens Georgia

 

The Arch - UGA

 Athens, Georgia, is home to the state’s oldest and largest public university, the University of Georgia. The town was founded as a trading settlement in the 18th century, and in 1785, the charter for the college was granted. The presence of UGA has influenced and maintained a thriving downtown area ever since. 

Ugga at Truist
 

Ugga at Hotel Indigo
 




On a recent visit I took myself on the Historic Downtown self-guided walking tour, one of many that are offered on the Visit Athens website. My tour started at the Historic Athens Welcome Center. The Center is located in the Church-Waddel-Brumble House, which was built in 1820. From 1820-1829, the building served as the home for the president of UGA. It was then home to several families until the mid 1960’s. In 1967 the house was saved from demolition by several local business men, and it was moved to its current location and turned into a museum and welcome center.


The Church-Waddel-Bumbry House


 I chose the Historic Downtown tour because it offered an exploration of homes and buildings that span almost all of Athens’ history, from 1820 through modern Athens. Whether you are stopping at the Ware-Lyndon House, built in 1850, and now both a historic museum and cultural center, or some of the mid-20th century buildings, like the U.S. Post Office. Athens has done a good job of retaining its historic center.


















One of the highlights on my walk was the Double Barreled Cannon. This unique weapon was an attempt to increase lethality of artillery fire. The idea was to load two projectiles into the cannon, connected by a chain. Theoretically, the rounds would be fired simultaneously, stretching the chain between them as they plowed through opposing forces. Unfortunately, the timing could never be perfected, and it was never used.




Another historic part of town is the “Hot Corner.” This intersection was the heart of the Black community in town. On one corner is Morton Building, home to the Morton Theater, built in 1910. The theater opened as a Vaudeville stage, becoming part of the Chitlin Circuit. Later, it became the movie theater for the Black community. The Morton Building served as home to most of the Black doctors, lawyers and other professionals. In other building here you would find tailors, barbers and salons, and restaurants and bars that served Blacks during the time of segregation.


Morton Theater/Morton building


Because of the university, there is always something to in Athens. There are many sports events and music venues. And lots of good restaurants. We enjoyed a great lunch at Thai Spoon, which provides a really good menu, with great heat if you want it. For dinner we ate at The National, which offers a Euro-inspired menu of small and large plates, everything fresh and delish.










 

When you visit, you can choose from 15 self-guided tours in and around the town, and several guided tours are also available.