Shoes, Ships, and Sealing Wax

Of course I've never seen it, I live here

As I've said a billion times, I love Washington. But sometimes I realize that I might as well not live here.

Today was the Diabetes Association walk. It was a dreary day, and we walked in a heavy mist-light drizzle, but as always I enjoyed seeing downtown. But it struck me how few of the sights I do anything but see from the street.

The American Indian Museum, for example. It was still being built when I first saw the curved sides of Kasota limestone (I passed it during a charity walk, in fact, just after they'd taken down the construction fence) and I was struck by the architecture. But I still haven't been inside.

That's only been open a year or so. I still haven't been to the Holocaust Museum either, and that opened more than ten years ago. (I remember the seeing the tenth anniversary ceremonies on the news and thinking: It isn't new anymore?)

I had every intention of going to the Newseum, but I missed my chance when it was in Rosslyn. The new one will open in 2007. I suspect in 2014 I'll still be saying "I gotta do that sometime."

On the Metro after the walk, I heard a couple of tourists talking about the Spy Museum. I'm always overhearing tourists talking about the Spy Museum, which gives me an excuse for not going there. On the other hand, it sounds kinda cool.

When my brother lived in Chicago, every time I visited him I went to the Art Institute. It helped that he was in school there and a few times I think he snuck me in (until then, I didn't realize that the Smithsonian was unusual with its lack of admission), but even if it was just a quick walk-through to pay Nighthawks a visit, I went. I also tended to go to the Cultural Center...always saw something cool on exhibit, and the building itself is beautiful. Funny, I was never in town more than three days, but I always squeezed those trips in.

Maybe if I move away, I'll see Washington.

Posted by Nic at October 22, 2005 07:14 PM | TrackBack