More museums….

Our first visit was the National Archives.  It is disappointing that visitors can  no longer climb the front steps and enter the front doors and be welcomed by the beautiful foyer and rotunda.  Instead we enter by the small service door on the lower level to the left of the steps and are greeted by airport-type security before ascending a small stairwell or taking the elevator to the main floor.

National Archives

Absolutely no photography allowed!  So..no pictures for the blog.  We were able to view original copies of the United State Constitution, Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights and many other historical documents and then continue on to the “Public Vaults” exhibition.

Then across the street is the National Gallery of Art.  This is another majestic building, actually it’s two buildings and a sculpture garden.  Earlier this week we visited the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery.  That is different from this one.

Rotunda at Art Museum

There is a beautiful marble-pillared rotunda in the center and there are two more rotundas on the sides.  Very beautiful building.  This museum houses the only Leonardo da Vinci painting in the United States.

Leonardo da Vinci, Ginerva de’Benci. c. 1474, oil on panel.

Sculptures at National Gallery of Art

There are rooms of paintings, sculptures and furniture from all of the world.

Then there is an underground concourse with a moving walkway that takes you to another building that houses the modern and contemporary art.

Concourse over to the Modern Art Building

This morning we paid for two more nights at our current location.  Sunday morning we will be moving to another campground.