The American Indian Smithsonian is probably the prettiest Smithsonian building. Their elevators are awesome. My family tree has lots of Native American in it (my mom’s dad’s side). The top floor is my favorite – lots of fun areas to see and explore. They have lots of interactive areas and it isn’t as busy as many of the other Smithsonian, so you can enjoy your time without tons of people around! Stop by this Smithsonian, even if just a quick visit!
We headed next door to the Air and Space Smithsonian, which I think we’ve done every trip. We were here during the big Washington DC Earthquake a few years ago! This is the most popular Smithsonian. Checking out the Wright Flyer and Amelia Earhart’s planes are always a favorite, as is all the space artifacts. I didn’t take many pictures this trip, because a certain toddler had my phone most of the time. Be prepared for long lines getting in, but they move faster than some other Smithsonian’s because they use X-ray machines instead of hand inspection (it is busier, so they have more resources than the other museums). This is the most popular museum, so it is usually pretty full of people most of the time.
The downstairs in the gift shop usually has some good clearance deals. This trip, there didn’t seem to be nearly as many deals as usual – bummer.
These are great museums and can be seen together in a morning or afternoon. (or longer, depending on how long you like to spend in museums). If you’re going to eat in one, eat in the American Indian – it has the BEST food of ALL the Smithsonian’s. Fry Bread! Need I say more?!?! Plus, Air and Space just has an expensive McDonald’s. Trust me, hit up American Indian food court if you’re going to eat in any Smithsonian Food Court (all of them are outrageously expensive though!)
