American History Museum & Rolling Thunder Parade

Memorial Day long weekend and I only visited one museum, the American History Museum was quite busy on Memorial Day. I also got to Pennsylvania Avenue at the right time to see Roaring Thunder, the motorcycle parade. The name Rolling Thunder couldn’t have been a better name, those bikes were LOUD. I got there just in time to see the very start of the parade, and at that parade I saw more than a life’s share of heavy motorcycles.  The Rolling Thunder raises awareness for POW (Prisoners of War) and MIA (missing in action), basically, personnel who have not returned from war but are not dead. I stood there for about 90 minutes and the motorcycles just keep on coming, I have no idea how long it went on but 90 minutes of non-stop motor bikes was enough for me and I went in the museum.

Thanks to this parade, motorists from all across America have come to D.C., and their loud bikes have disturbed my sleep…I knew something would be going on when I constantly heard motorbikes out my window.

Now to the museum, being Memorial Day, the museum was pretty crowded.  I am not particularly a big fan of history, but the museum was an interesting visit none the less.  There was an exhibition about food that I was particularly interested (I love food, don’t you) and was fascinated to find Julia Child’s entire kitchen as an exhibition. You know the move Julie & Julia? Julia Child, the woman who brought French cooking into the American home donated her kitchen to the Smithsonian institute. While at this history of food exhibition, I noticed a lot of foreign visitors who were sitting and chatting, were they bored? Or tired from walking? Then I noticed how the history museum required a lot of English reading, that is, unlike an exhibition of dinosaurs where kids and adults can gaze up in amazement at the giant dinosaur, you need to read all the stories next to the exhibition to know what’s going on at the history museum to find it interesting. Maybe they were tired from reading a foreign language, or because it’s part of the tour and history isn’t their favorite subject.

The science of Pringles

              

Coffee caps have developed through out the ages

The museum is divided into several large galleries, such as automobile, Civil War, World War I and II, and the biggest American flag I have ever seen. I didn't go to the gallery where they have the dresses of the first ladies, but you should because it looks pretty cool.

Also the ever popular red ruby slippers from the original Wizard of Oz set. I have never seen the movie, but I do know how important those shoes are in American popular culture, and I read the original novel too. Check out my ruby slippers, they’re pretty cool, aren’t they?

Dorothy's ruby slippers

My ruby slippers