Travel
September 2019/Fairlady 43NationalMuseumof African
AmericanHistory& Culture.
It wasbothexhilaratingand
draining.IntheHistoryGalleries,
soberingthemesandeventslike
thetransatlanticslavetradeare
covered:youcanseeitemslikethe
hymnalof HarrietTubman,the
abolitionistwhohelpedtofree
dozensof slaves,anda plantation
cabinfromSouthCarolina.
It wasinterestingforme,as
a blackSouthAfrican,tolearnso
muchaboutAfrican-American
history.Inanticipationof the
emotionsthedisplayswillelicit,
youcanshareyourthoughtsin
ReflectionsBooths,whichare
scatteredthroughoutthemuseum.
It’shardtogetthroughthe
wholemuseuminoneday,butit
wouldberemisstosticktojustthe
bottomsections.If you’repushed
fortime,coverat leastoneof the
historyfloors,thenchoosebetween
eithertheCultureorCommunity
Galleriesupstairs.There’sanarea
dedicatedtoOprahWinfrey.If
you’rea fan,aimtospendat least30 minutes here as the exhibition
features original artefacts from the
studio, photos and memorabilia
from her personal collections, and
some of the outfits Oprah has worn
during her illustrious career.
Conveniently situated at a
corner, it’s easy to start here, then
museum-hop, working your way
down the National Mall, which has
museums on each side.
Art lovers will particularly
relish the National Museum of
African Art, the American Art
Museum, and the Hirshhorn
Museum and Sculpture Garden.
Hirshhorn is remarkable because of
its interesting cylindrical building
and sunken sculpture garden where
you can admire works by artists
like Auguste Rodin and Yoko Ono.
Other free options include
the National Archives Museum,
home to the three most important
documents in American history:
the Declaration of Independence,
the US Constitution and the Bill
of Rights. You can also visit the
National Museum of Natural
History, the National Air and
Space Museum and the US
Holocaust Memorial Museum.
Making your way around can
be quite tiring, so make use of the
DC Circulator – the free public
transport. It takes you all around
the city but does get busy on
weekends, so map out and time
your commute carefully.Stroll or run
If you’d prefer to get your 10 000
steps in, DC has beautiful scenery.
Flanked on either end by the
Capitol Building and the Lincoln
Memorial, the National Mall is
a beautiful, pedestrian-friendly
grassy park. At just over 3km
long, you can also clock a decent
run along its tree-lined boulevards.
In addition to the White House,
DC has other structures worthvisiting. You could start at Capitol
Building and head towards the
towering Washington Monument
at the opposite end. A series of
structures follow on from here,
including the Martin Luther King
Jr Memorial, the Korean War
Veterans Memorial and the World
War II Memorial. Part museum,
part magnificent structure, each of
these are breathtaking.
When I visited the Martin
Luther King Jr Memorial, a group
of African-American bikers were
also there. They asked me to
take a picture of them in front
of his massive statue. Their joy
at being there was tangible,
and as I continued around the
memorial, the 14 quotes on the
surrounding Inscription Wall took
on deepened significance. One
of them, from a 1965 speech he
made, encapsulates the range of
reflections experienced by many
visitors: ‘I have the audacity to
believe that peoples everywhere
can have three meals a day for their
bodies, education and culture for
their minds, and dignity, equality
and freedom for their spirits.’ A song and dance
Of course, DC has great
entertainment too. You can go to
several jazz clubs or rock concerts
regularly hosted in the city.
And at 6pm every day of the
year, the Millennium Stage hosts
a free performance as part of the
Kennedy Center’s Performing Arts
for Everyone initiative. Check
out their website for upcoming
performances, or just pitch up and
let it be a surprise.
Between May and September,
catch Jazz in the Garden, a series
of free concerts every Friday
evening in the National Gallery
of Art Sculpture Garden.
Entertainment can range from
Brazilian folk and jazz to reggae. ✤Above: Clear
signage directs
tourists.
Left: The National
Museum of African
American History &
Culture.PHOTOGRAPHS: NORMA YOUNG, GALLO IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES, SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTE