Daro Realty Blog » Museums http://www.darorealty.com/blog Daro Realty's Community Blog Fri, 11 May 2012 15:00:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 Presidents’ Day in DC http://www.darorealty.com/blog/museums/presidents-day-in-dc/ http://www.darorealty.com/blog/museums/presidents-day-in-dc/#comments Mon, 13 Feb 2012 21:50:01 +0000 chrystal http://www.darorealty.com/blog/?p=1264 There really is no better time than Presidents’ Day to visit our nation’s capital, Washington, DC. But do you know why we celebrate in Febrary? And where the holiday originated?

The national holiday was originally a commemoration of George Washington’s birthday, February 22, 1732. After his death, the nation began celebrating his birthday as a way to remember his life and how he contributed to establishing America’s independence from England. The year after Abraham Lincoln was assassinated, 1865, America also began celebrating his birthday on February 12th. Both February 12th and the 22nd were observed as federal holidays up until 1971, when President Richard Nixon combined the two and changed the focus to honoring all past presidents on the third Monday of February.

There is no shortage of events in the DC area to celebrate the great leaders, past and present, of our country. Our top three recommendations are:

Madame Tussauds U.S. Presidents Gallery – Brush up on your knowledge of all 44 U.S. Presidents as you come “face-to-face” with them.

Mt. Vernon – Visit George Washington’s final resting place and pay tribute to the very first first President of the United States on his 500-acre estate.

George Washington Birthday Parade – Be a witness to the country’s largest President’s Day Parade. The parade starts at the intersection of King and S. Royal streets at 1pm. and makes its way through Old Town Alexandria.

Image: Sue’s News

]]> http://www.darorealty.com/blog/museums/presidents-day-in-dc/feed/ 0 Gertrude Stein at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC http://www.darorealty.com/blog/museums/gertrude-stein-at-the-national-portrait-gallery-in-washington-dc/ http://www.darorealty.com/blog/museums/gertrude-stein-at-the-national-portrait-gallery-in-washington-dc/#comments Tue, 17 Jan 2012 22:17:48 +0000 chrystal http://www.darorealty.com/blog/?p=1229 There isn’t much time left to check out the Gertrude Stein: Five Stories exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery in DC. The exhibit has been on display since October 14th of last year and will come to a close this Sunday on January 22nd. “Five Stories” features over 25 artifacts and 100 works by artists from both the U.S. and Europe detailing Stein’s life and work as an artist, collector, and influencer of her peers.

Some of Stein’s famous friends during her lifetime included: Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Georges Braque, and Ernest Hemingway. She was a literary celebrity and arts networker, as well as life-long partners with Alice B. Toklas. She wrote novels, poems, essays, literary and art theory, ballets, memoirs, and children’s books.

The exhibition tells five stories about Stein: “Picturing Gertrude”, “Domestic Stein”, “Art of Friendship”, “Celebrity Stein”, and “Legacies”. The National Portrait Gallery is located at Eighth and F Streets, NW in Washington, DC. It is open daily from 11:30am-7:00pm and admission is free.

]]> http://www.darorealty.com/blog/museums/gertrude-stein-at-the-national-portrait-gallery-in-washington-dc/feed/ 0 Free Admission To The Corcoran on MLK Day http://www.darorealty.com/blog/events/free-admission-to-the-corcoran-on-mlk-day/ http://www.darorealty.com/blog/events/free-admission-to-the-corcoran-on-mlk-day/#comments Fri, 13 Jan 2012 23:43:10 +0000 chrystal http://www.darorealty.com/blog/?p=1224 Martin Luther King Jr. Day is this Monday, January 16th. If you have the day off from work, you should take advantage of the Corcoran’s special schedule honoring Dr. King. Though the museum is usually closed on Mondays, it will be open on the 16th and offering free admission to the landmark exhibition of contemporary African American art,  “30 Americans”.

Another awesome perk? If you visit the museum on Monday the 16th, you will receive a two-for-one voucher for admission that you can use anytime before the “30 Americans” exhibit closes on February 12th.


The Corcoran Shop will also be offering 30% off all “30 Americans”  merchandise from Saturday – Monday (in-store purchases only).

The Corcoran Gallery of Art
500 Seventeenth Street NW
Washington, DC 20006
(The main entrance is located on Seventeenth Street between New York Avenue and E Street NW.)

]]> http://www.darorealty.com/blog/events/free-admission-to-the-corcoran-on-mlk-day/feed/ 0 Andy Warhol: “Shadows” in DC http://www.darorealty.com/blog/museums/andy-warhol-shadows-in-dc/ http://www.darorealty.com/blog/museums/andy-warhol-shadows-in-dc/#comments Wed, 11 Jan 2012 22:19:27 +0000 chrystal http://www.darorealty.com/blog/?p=1218 You only have a few days left to experience Andy Warhol’s 1978-79 series, Shadows at the Smithsonian Institution’s Hishhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden  in DC. The exhibition has been on display since September 25th of last year and will come to a close this weekend on January 15th.

Shadows is comprised of 102 silk-screened and hand-painted canvases featuring a distorted photograph of a shadow. This is the first time the complete installation has been on display together. Shadows occupies almost an entire floor of the museum and stretches out in 450 linear feet along one wall.

The Hishhorn Museum and Sculpture Gardens  collects, preserves, and presents international modern and contemporary art in all media. Admission is free and the museum is open seven days a week from 10am – 5:30pm. It is located on the National Mall at the corner of  Independence Avenue and Seventh Street SW. The closest Metro station is L’Enfant Plaza (Green, Yellow, Orange, and Blue lines).

Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden – Smithsonian Institution
Independence Avenue at Seventh Street SW
Washington, DC 20013

]]> http://www.darorealty.com/blog/museums/andy-warhol-shadows-in-dc/feed/ 0 Season’s Greenings in Washington, DC http://www.darorealty.com/blog/events/season%e2%80%99s-greenings-in-washington-dc/ http://www.darorealty.com/blog/events/season%e2%80%99s-greenings-in-washington-dc/#comments Wed, 28 Dec 2011 00:47:52 +0000 chrystal http://www.darorealty.com/blog/?p=1199

Just because the Christmas holiday has come and gone, doesn’t mean you can’t continue to enjoy festive winter events! Going on now through January 2nd, 2012, is Season’s Greenings at the United States Botanic Garden in SW Washington, DC.

This annual holiday exhibition is completely free and includes poinsettias and model trains choo-choo-ing their ways around plant-based replicas of well-known DC landmarks. Adults and children alike will be awed by the amazing buildings made entirely of real plant materials. The garden railway was created by Paul Busse of Applied Imagination in Alexandria, Kentucky.

You will learn about the different critters that inhabit different plants as well as a “living history” of the poinsettia plant. Pick up a Plant Hunt to complete during your visit, which will challenge you to find plants that live in different environments throughout the display. Musical guests will stop by to  perform on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.

U.S. Botanic Garden
100 Maryland Ave. SW
Washington, DC

November 24th – January 2nd: 10 am – 5 pm daily

Live music from 6-8 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays

]]> http://www.darorealty.com/blog/events/season%e2%80%99s-greenings-in-washington-dc/feed/ 0 Holidays At The Oatlands Plantation Near DC http://www.darorealty.com/blog/museums/holidays-at-the-oatlands-plantation-near-dc/ http://www.darorealty.com/blog/museums/holidays-at-the-oatlands-plantation-near-dc/#comments Sat, 03 Dec 2011 00:53:39 +0000 chrystal http://www.darorealty.com/blog/?p=1146 Located less than one hour outside of DC is the Oatlands Plantation, “a stately mansion with beautiful rolling farmland, exquisite gardens” and over 200 years of American history and culture.

The Christmas season is in full swing at the Plantation! The property has been beautifully decorated for the holidays and is open Monday through Saturday from 10am-5pm and Sunday from 1pm-5pm.

Tours of the house are given every hour, on the hour with the last tour beginning at 4pm. Admission is $10 for adults, $9 for seniors, $7 for students, and free for children 5 and younger. You can also purchase admission to the garden and grounds only for $7. The tours are led by interpretive guides who will discuss the people who have lived on the property in the past, the history of the house, and much more.

Oatlands is now a National Trust Historic Site and a National Historic Landmark. Click here for a full list of Oatlands’ holiday events. The Oatlands Gift Shop is the perfect place to do your holiday shopping and find the perfect gifts for everyone on your list. You can also give the gift of membership. Members of the Friends of Oatlands support this historical treasure year-round and enjoy several perks as well.

]]> http://www.darorealty.com/blog/museums/holidays-at-the-oatlands-plantation-near-dc/feed/ 0 Boo at the Zoo in DC http://www.darorealty.com/blog/events/boo-at-the-zoo-in-dc/ http://www.darorealty.com/blog/events/boo-at-the-zoo-in-dc/#comments Thu, 20 Oct 2011 21:09:28 +0000 chrystal http://www.darorealty.com/blog/?p=1118 If you live in the DC area and are looking for something fun and wild to do with your kids this weekend, look no further than the Smithsonian National Zoological Park’s Boo at the Zoo celebration. This Halloween-themed celebration at the zoo is geared for kids ages 2-12 and will feature fun and safe Halloween activities at more than 40 treat stations throughout the park.

Dress in costume and join the other princesses, superheroes, and more as they convene at the zoo this weekend. There will be candy, animal encounters, keeper talks, and festive decorations for you and your family to enjoy together. You will even receive a free reusable treat bag!

This event will take place rain or shine and it is important to note that tickets are selling out fast; Saturday is already sold out! Boo at the Zoo will happen from 5:30-8:30pm, Friday- Sunday, October 21-23 and costs $30 for non-members.

If you are interested in receiving a discounted rate for Boo at the Zoo (as well as several other perks and benefits) click here for more information on becoming a FONZ (Friends Of the National Zoo) member.

Details:
5:30-8:30 pm, Friday-Sunday, October 21-23
Address:
National Zoological Park – Smithsonian Institution
3001 Connecticut Ave. NW
Washington, DC
Price:
$30

]]> http://www.darorealty.com/blog/events/boo-at-the-zoo-in-dc/feed/ 0 Don’t Miss The Last Free Saturday At The Corcoran http://www.darorealty.com/blog/events/dont-miss-the-last-free-saturday-at-thr-corcoran/ http://www.darorealty.com/blog/events/dont-miss-the-last-free-saturday-at-thr-corcoran/#comments Sat, 03 Sep 2011 17:27:39 +0000 chrystal http://www.darorealty.com/blog/?p=1087 You better hop off that couch and get out to enjoy your last chance to visit the Corcoran Gallery of Art for free. Yes, the Corcoran Free Summer Saturdays session ends today, September 3rd, so don’t miss out!

Regular admission to the museum is ten bucks, but you won’t need that today to enjoy Gallery tours, demonstrations, workshops, and performances. There are also special programs scheduled to celebrate the Corcoran’s collections of historic American and European Paintings, Modern and Contemporary art, Photography and Media Arts, and the contemporary exhibitions Washington Color and Light and Chris Martin: Painting Big.

Every Saturday there will be chalk drawings from 11am – 4pm, weather permitting, and Highlights Tours from noon – 3pm. This Saturday, learn how to sketch from a live model. All materials will be provided and the sketching will be from noon – 3pm.

]]> http://www.darorealty.com/blog/events/dont-miss-the-last-free-saturday-at-thr-corcoran/feed/ 0 Second Saturday Arts & Science Series at The National Museum of Natural History http://www.darorealty.com/blog/museums/secon-saturday-arts-science-series-at-the-national-museum-of-natural-history/ http://www.darorealty.com/blog/museums/secon-saturday-arts-science-series-at-the-national-museum-of-natural-history/#comments Sat, 13 Aug 2011 18:36:21 +0000 chrystal http://www.darorealty.com/blog/?p=1073 On the second Saturday of each month, (and that’s today!), bring the kiddos out to the National Museum of Natural History for a fun day full of free activities.

This Saturday, kids can enjoy making a reusable cloth lunch bag – just in time for back to school – decorated with stamps and drawings of sea creatures. They will also be able to embark on a deep-sea adventure, learning about ocean animals at the Sant Ocean Hall.

The workshop will run from 1-3pm and is completely free.

National Museum of Natural History – Smithsonian Institution
10th Street and Constitution Avenue NW
Washington, DC
Information:
202-633-1000
Price:
Free

]]> http://www.darorealty.com/blog/museums/secon-saturday-arts-science-series-at-the-national-museum-of-natural-history/feed/ 0 The National Aquarium Turns 30! http://www.darorealty.com/blog/events/the-national-aquarium-turns-30/ http://www.darorealty.com/blog/events/the-national-aquarium-turns-30/#comments Tue, 02 Aug 2011 21:10:38 +0000 chrystal http://www.darorealty.com/blog/?p=1065 The National Aquarium in Baltimore, near your rent apartments DC, turns 30 this year and the celebration is this weekend, August 5th, 6th, and 7th. To celebrate, there will be an all-ages birthday bash outside the aquarium on the pier, with live music, dancing, face painting, art projects, and even zumba lessons.

The Aquarium’s actual anniversary is Monday, August 8th, and if you attend, you will enjoy one of the thousand cupcakes that will be on display. If you happen to also be turning 30 this year, present your ID on Monday with your 1981 year of birth and you will receive admission to the aquarium for only $5!

Click here for a schedule of all activities planned for the weekend’s festivities at the aquarium.

30th Anniversary Festival Hours:
Friday, August 5th: 12 – 7 pm
Saturday, August 6th: 10 am – 3 pm
Sunday, August 7th: 10 am – 3 pm
National Aquarium – Baltimore
Pier 3, 501 E. Pratt St.
Baltimore, MD
Information: 410-576-3800
Price: Free

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