Great Day Out: The BEACH at the National Building Museum

All summer there's been an invitation to play from one of DC's finest museums:

 "The National Building Museum presents a one-of-a-kind destination for visitors, an interactive architectural installation that brings the quintessential summer experience of going to the beach to downtown Washington, D.C. Spanning across the Museum’s Great Hall, the BEACH, created in partnership with Snarkitecture, will cover 10,000 square feet and include an “ocean” of nearly one million recyclable translucent plastic balls."


I spent the morning at The BEACH with a dear friend and honestly, it was awesome!! It's worth the $16 entry as it's such a clever, simple, fear and laughter producing experience.

When you first get into the 'water' ballpit you sink like quicksand - you don't expect it and it takes a moment to get your sea legs. After falling around for a while you work out how to float and wade in the water and you start to relax.

We played in the water for a while then went a got refreshments at the Union Kitchen Snack Bar. A wee paddle and people watching was then in order, and if we'd known there would be deck chairs we would have chilled out with a good book!

You can see a few strollers in this picture -  I'd heard from Mums with kids the same age as Miss O that they'd found their Little Ones visit there a little unnerving .. ok one said terrifying! Whilst the Little One's can't 'drown' as such the balls do suck you in and watching your baby disappear under the translucent water would be freaky. There were lots of little people there having a great time but I'm glad I went sans enfant - I'd a much better time not having to worry about her!

We had a fantastic morning - I'll share some more reflections on the installation tomorrow. Suffice to say it closes Labor Day - September 7th - don't miss it!

Great Day Out: National Portrait Gallery & undiscovered gems

The National Portrait Gallery and the Smithsonian American Art Museum are two of my favorite places in DC. This post from February 2013 reveals a lesser known treasure of this DC landmark:

"These two museums encircle the honeycombed roofed Kogod Courtyard - a gathering place for art devourers, city escapees, culture hungry tourists and starlight seeking lovers. Just being there opens space in one's imagination.

We've been to these museums lots of times since moving to DC and so apart from the new exhibitions about Potraits On The Edge and the life of Amelia Earhart  (inspirational stuff!), we assumed we'd the space nailed. A well-known and loved beauty.

Then we wandered through a side door into Narnia. The majestic mosaic grey blue floor of the Luce Foundation Center led us into a Victorianna haven of wrought iron railings and a domed glass roof. What a hidden gem. We'd no idea. Secreted away off the narrow galleried walkways are magical drawers of French miniatures and thin sliced cabinets of icons and portraits. Pieces of the museum's collections currently not on display in the main galleries but just too good not to have on show somewhere!


It's fitting that we found this space on a day that I had gone to there to write; to be infected by other people's stories. There are people I think I've sown up - I know lots about their history and their perspectives, their likes and their challenges. Yet, there's always more. There's always hidden gems of patterned paths, intricate boundaries and treasures just too good to not be on show. If only I'll go through some new doors and be open to being surprised.

I wonder what undiscovered gems lie within us? We're the curators of our own souls - we choose what and where we display our portraits, we decide the form of our icons, and nurture or neglect the gallery space that has been entrusted to us.

Pay attention to those side doors today - you never know what treasures lie waiting for and in you!"