Museums

National Air and Space Museum: Great hands-on section; IMAX; Planetarium show was a disappointment.

Renwick Gallery: craft and decorative arts; a hidden gem; northwest of the White House.

National Museum of Natural History: IMAX; free Friday night jazz.

East Building National Gallery of Art: great architecture; awesome internal Calder mobile; just the right size; not as modern as the Hirshhorn, but more modern than the National Gallery West.

West Building National Gallery of Art: Washington's answer to the Prado; large collection; nice museum shop; underground connection to National Gallery East.

National Museum of American History: everything from Dorothy's slippers, to restored classic auto's to coin collections; talk to some of the volunteers-they really know their stuff.

The Smithsonian Arts and Industries Building: special exhibits.

National Museum of African Art

National Building Museum: Northwest of the Capitol; take the tour; a hidden gem.

Dumbarton Oaks: two parts: one is traditional, featuring Roman frescos; the second is a beautiful modern building featuring meso-American art.

The Phillips Collection: near Dupont Circle; private, so it costs; but worth it just to see Renoir's The Boating Party.

Corcoran Gallery: American and European art; west of the White House.

Freer Gallery of Art: Asian and American art

Arthur M. Sackler Gallery: Asian; magnificent entrance way and spiral staircase.

S. Dillon Ripley Center: portraits of American women.

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden: neat circular architecture; great sculpture; modern art.

The Smithsonian Institution Building (The "Castle"): orientation only; no exhibits.

Sculpture: a highlight of Washington; visible all over the city, but particularly around the Mall; lots of Alexander Calder.