Smithsonian Institute Museum

[frisco-kid]

The other museum that we made it to was The Museum Of Natural History. As you enter the foyer lobby the first thing you see is a stuffed specimen of one of the largest African elephants on record.

[frisco-kid]

Another angle of the lobby.

[frisco-kid]

Like the Space And Aeronautics Museum, the place is massive.

[frisco-kid]

All of the specimens are real, full sized animals.

[frisco-kid]

Probably the most popular exhibit was that of the dinosaurs.

[frisco-kid]

And yes Steve, we did see the Hope Diamond. The way it is displayed, and the lighting around it, makes it hard to get a good picture of it. The camera didn't capture the beautiful ice blue color of it.

[82Rigger]

Frisco,

It also doesn't help that you're trying to photograph the Hope through three-inch thick bullet proof glass.

Your description of the "ice-blue" color is very fitting, as the diamond is technically classified as a "Fancy grayish-blue type IIb" by the Gemological Institute. The diamond's cut is an obsolete cut called a Cushion Cut. It weighs 45.52 carats.

Now that I think of it, the Ft. McHenry flag may not be on display. They've been doing some cleaning and restoration on it.

Great pics!

[Packo]

Tom,

Thanks for getting PART of my DC-3 in the picture. Geeze, and I thought you were a friend.

Steve....the ol' Spirit was moved to the big museum. When you were in the Army at Ft Lee, it was all in the Castle. First the memory goes.....then

Good stuff Tom!

Colon

[82Rigger]

Packy,

It's hangin' WHEELS DOWN. Looked the same to me.

Yeah, they say your memory is the second thing to go. I forget what the first one is. :re:

[Packo]

Steve,

What are you talkin' about? Oh, yeah, I remember now. What was funny was a few years ago Deb, her twin, and our nephew went to Washington. I couldn't wait to show them some of the Smith's exhibits. (See them all would take a week) First place I took them was to the Castle. All offices now. It had been a while since I'd been there. The people in the Castle looked at us like we had shrimp comin' out of our ears when we walked in looking for exhibits. A Twilight Zone moment.

Colon