Breaking News: Don’t miss a visit to The Newseum in Washington DC
When planning a visit to Washington DC one certainly puts monuments, memorials, Smithsonian museums and historical markers on the top of their touring lists. Fairly new to the tourist scene in our Nation’s Capital is the Newseum, is a highly interactive museum of journalism, newspapers, televison broadcast news, and social media weaved with the First Amendement all in a highly interactive setting.
Located on Pennsylvania Avenue just down the street from the United States Capitol Building and up the street from the White House, this modern steel and glass structure features multiple levels of theaters and highly interactive galleries. It has quickly become one of the hottest tourist spots in town. Rightly so!
The Newseum
Highlights of a day at the Newseum include:
The Great Hall of News: A suspended giant screen located in the main open atrium showcasing the latest world headlines.
News History Gallery: This timeline displays showcases the extensive collection of newspapers headlines with touch-screen housing thousands of digitized publications, allowing for close-up viewing. You can search for your favorite headline going back hundreds of years.
The NBC News Interactive Newsroom: Every want to play the role of a news reporter? Here you can! Smile and put on your best TV face as you discuss the weather or the latest headline. Look for your video on You Tube!
Interactive News Room
9/11 Gallery: This moving gallery explores the coverage of the attacks on our nation on September 11, 2001. An enormous wall is covered with the front pages of newspapers from around the word and a touching film showcases the coverage of the day. The centerpiece of the gallery is a portion of the mangled antenna that once stood atop the North Tower.
Antenna that once was atop the North Tower of the World Trade Center and front page news of the 9/11 attacks
Bloomberg Internet, TV and Radio Gallery: News clips of memorable and historical events since the inception of video media and social media flash on 25 foot tall media walls. Chances are you’ll remember most of the scenes including Royal Weddings, Presidential elections (and assassinations), the end of the Cold War, and historical space launches (and tragedies such as the Challenger disaster) are among the inclusions.
A decade of news through multi media
Pulitzer Prize Photographs Gallery: Labeled as one of the most comprehensive collection of Pulitzer Prize winning photographs ever displayed. You’ll recognize most of these images including Marines raising the American Flag at Iwo Jima, the joyful reunion of a returning prisoner of war and his family and a first responder holding an injured baby following the tragic Oklahoma City bombing.
Berlin Wall Gallery: This is where the largest display of a portion of the original wall outside of Germany now resides along with the Checkpoint Charlie guard tower.
A portion of the Berlin Wall
FirFirst Amendment Gallery: This gallery of exhibits shows how the First Amendment’s guarantee of rights (religion, speech, press, assembly and petition) plays a role in news and features clips that related to each of the guarantee of rights.
World News Gallery: A large map rates 190 countries showing the different freedoms around the world. You’ll be surprised where the United States actually stands.
Pulliam Family Great Books Gallery: Here, you’ll find books and documents of important political thought such as The Magna Carta, The Federalist Papers and the first printed flyer of the Constitution.
Today’s Front Pages Gallery: Daily headlines from new outlets from every state and Washington DC as well as many international newspapers abound! Find your home state and what is going on at home on your day of visit.
Journalists Memorial: This gallery contains names and photos of hundreds of journalist who were killed or died while reporting news. You’ll find many recognizable faces and memorabilia from their time covering the news.
FBI Gallery: Here you’ll find unique artifact such as the Unabomber’s cabin (yes, the real cabin is on display), Patty Hearst’s coat and gun, wreckage and personal effects from passengers on flights that hit the World Trade Center on 9/11 as well as photos, historic news clippings that depict the relationship between the FBI and media.
Unibomber’s Cabin
One could easily spend most of the day at the Newseum, so much so that tickets are actually good for two consecutive days. You’ll find this museum Newseum as one of the highlights to your Washington DC visit. Plan to arrive early to avoid crowds and make sure to stop by the Newseum Café with menu items from Wolfgang Puck himself. You’ll find yourself spending a walk down memory lane that sometimes is challenging and thought-provoking, but the interactive nature of the museum makes it wildly fun.
Your TMFLT counselor can most likely assist you with a visit to Washington DC! Contact us at www.themagicforless.com.
And for more information on the Newseum you will want to visit http://www.newseum.org.
