Washington is more than a city of monuments, federal buildings and history. It is a city where real people live, and that is the theme conveyed at the City Museum of Washington, D.C.
The museum, a project of the Historical Society of Washington, D.C., opened in May at the former Carnegie Library near Mount Vernon Square in Northwest. Within its walls are exhibits that show the history, growth, conflicts and passions of Washington and its residents over 200 years.
A visit to the museum begins with a 23-minute multimedia presentation. This show — part slide show, part movie — is a campy look at the nation’s capital as portraits of famous Washingtonians such as Pierre L’Enfant, George Washington and Frederick Douglass come alive to give a stodgy D.C. tour guide a hard time.
The show, titled “Washington Stories” sets the tone for the “real people live here” theme. It shows how places such as the U Street corridor and Griffith Stadium were the center of community life a generation ago and how diverse the population is today.
Moving on to the museum’s permanent collection, the city’s story is told through artifacts, pictures and thematic displays. In the Washington Perspectives Gallery, visitors can trace the evolution of the city from American Indian stone tools through the present day. There are dozens of drawers to pull out that feature additional display materials for visitors to view. Audio recordings augment the displays.
There is a display centered on the 12th Street YMCA as the center of black recreation, culture and housing; real bits of china and glass used in homes in the 19th century; the District during the Civil War; and a replica of the city’s old Center Market, which stood on Pennsylvania Avenue from 1877 until 1931. Visitors will enjoy the thimble-size chickens and pickle barrels in the market model.
“Young people find this intriguing,” says Mychalene Giampaoli, the museum’s curator of education.
The Washington Perspectives room is centered on a giant, backlighted map of modern-day Washington. Visitors will enjoy finding their homes, parks and favorite restaurants in the view from above.
“All our research showed you just can’t have a D.C. exhibit without a map,” Ms. Giampaoli says.
Upstairs, there is a research room open to the public. The second floor is also the site of two temporary exhibits.
In “Taking a Closer Look: Images from the Albert H. Small Collection,” visitors will see an impressive collection of maps, prints and photos on loan from philanthropist Albert H. Small. Among them: A 1906 panoramic drawing of then-new Union Station; an 1857 view of a city that ended just above Dupont Circle; and an 1852 drawing of the Mall that features an elaborate — and never completed — colonnade at the base of the Washington Monument.
In the other upstairs room is “Sandlots to Stadiums: Sports and Community in Washington.” This is perhaps the most fun exhibit at the museum. This room will appeal to anyone who ever rooted for the Washington Redskins, played on a local high school basketball team or even kicked a ball in a city park.
This exhibit traces the evolution of D.C. sports, from 19th century socialites playing tennis at the Tudor Place Lawn Tennis Club through the opening of the MCI Center in the late 1990s.
Along the way, there is obvious memorabilia, such as a sports page commemorating the Redskins’ 1983 Super Bowl victory, and more obscure items such as an 1895 photo of the Gallaudet University football team and a picture of then-President Richard Nixon watching a Washington Sentors game as baseball great Ted Williams managed the team. There is also lots of information about the Homestead Grays, the Negro League baseball team here from 1937 to 1948, as well as lesser-known teams that served the black community in that era.
A smaller display in the room honors community sports in the District. There are photos from DeMatha and Dunbar high school basketball games; trophies won by now-defunct McKinley Tech; and old uniforms, cleats and other equipment. Even the role of public playgrounds is given a tribute here.
A “fan’s scoreboard” area lets visitors jot down their favorite D.C. sports memory and post it on the wall. Recent visitors have recounted their first visit to Griffith Stadium, home of the Senators and Redskins for decades; memorable high school games from the 1970s; and their disappointment at the recent demise of the Women’s United Soccer Association and the Washington Freedom women’s soccer team.
In the planning stages for the museum is a working archaeology lab, Ms. Giampaoli says. Here, visitors will be able to watch and work with city archaeologists as they process and catalog items found at construction sites around the city.
WHEN YOU GO:
LOCATION: THE CITY MUSEUM OF WASHINGTON, D.C., IS LOCATED AT 801 K ST. NW
Directions: The museum is on K Street between Seventh and Ninth Streets NW. Take New York Avenue to Massachusetts Avenue. Massachusetts runs into K Street at Mount Vernon Square.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday. The museum is closed Mondays, but is open on Monday holidays. It is closed July 4, and Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s days.
Admission: Admission for the exhibits and multimedia show is $7 for adults, $5 for children, students and seniors. Admission for the exhibits only is $3 for adults, $2 for children, students and seniors. Admission for the show only is $5 for adults, $4 for children, students and seniors. Children age 2 and younger are admitted free. Memberships are available.
Parking: Limited metered street parking and pay lots are nearby. The museum is located two blocks south of the Mount Vernon Square/Convention Center Metro station (Yellow and Green lines) and two blocks north of the Gallery Place-Chinatown Metro station (Red, Yellow and Green lines).
More information: Call 202/383-1800 or visit www.citymuseumdc.org.
Upcoming events
• Jan. 19, 2 p.m. — Tell-a-bration for Martin Luther King Day. Join museum staff to discuss what Martin Luther King means to you and how his birthday should be celebrated. Fee: $5 for members, $8 for nonmembers. Reservations required.
• Jan. 24, noon — How did American Indians make their tools? Join archaeologist Dennis Knepper to discuss and observe ancient artifacts. Fee: $5 for members, $8 for nonmembers. Reservations required.
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