Places to Go - Katy Perry's Portrait & Kids in a Box at the Smithsonian American Art Museum & National Portrait Gallery (Washington D.C.)

Happy Monday everyone!! I felt like we/I needed a break from the vacation posts. Plus, after almost a month touring Europe, I'm even more in awe of how truly awesome DC really is. The first week after we came back from Europe I had a hard time readjusting - first of all, I had a pretty steady stream of photography work for the first few days (which was wonderful, but exhausting), plus after 3.5 weeks alone together the kids could not stop fighting, and a revolving door of playdates kept circulating through my living room (so. many. kids).

Anyways, when KidFriendly DC posted a picture of Katy Perry's portrait at the Smithsonian Portrait museum I realized how much I needed a non-pool outing. Luckily, all I had to do was mention the Firework singer and the girls were all in (like moths to a flame).

While I hate the parking situation, I love the Smithsonian art museums (the Portrait Gallery and the American Art Museum share a building, though, somewhat oddly, not a website), they are rarely crowded and the modern art gallery on the top floor is one of my favorite places in DC. Lots of empty space. Cool couches. Amazing large scale installations. If you ever need a place to relax in the big city, this is the place to be.



A new way to read the Constitution.





We also checked out the museum's Watch This: Revelations in Media Art exhibit (only open until September 7, GO NOW!!), where the girls could have spent hours playing with the video camera that films you in a box.








And then we randomly wandered into the Luce Foundation Center for American Art. And this is when I realized the true amazingness of DC. I had no idea this place even existed. Basically, several of the collections that the museum previously housed in storage are now available to the public in Luce's three floored gallery, which looks like the secret garden of libraries. The Luce Foundation also has scavenger hunts and audio tours, which the kids and I cannot wait to try out on our next visit. But, as our time was limited, we spent our first visit perusing aisle after aisle of hidden treasures, the girls especially loved the crazy jewelry collection, where drawers open up so you can explore more.