The Museum Project: United States Botanic Garden

Background

The Museum Project represents my most ambitious New Year's resolution of 2010. I moved to Northern Virginia two years ago and, after the initial post-move binge of sightseeing, found that there was still so much of DC that I hadn't taken in. So this is it...I plan to visit all of the museums, monuments, and historical sites in the city over the coming year with a few select spots oustide the district added in for good measure.

Twyla Tharp said "Art is the only way of running away without leaving home"...with the exceptions of tequila and my current obsession with LOST, I think that she was right on the money. My hope is that running away with the Smithsonian will have fewer repercussions than a bottle of Patron.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

United States Botanic Garden

US Botanic Garden with the Capitol as backdrop

http://www.usbg.gov/

With the cold and the snow, I decided to make like a hot house flower and head for the United States Botanic Garden today. I love greenhouses in general with their peaty goodness, but the Botanic Garden is one of my favorite spots in DC and brings back memories of high school field trips from Richmond (the picture below is my friend Catharine on our 9th grade field trip). In addition to their permanent collection (Jungle, Desert, Medicinal Plants, Hawaii (nothing that looks familiar from Lost), etc), they are currently having an orchid exhibit which is spectacular. Another room was tauntingly full of the smell of spring with hyacinth and daffodils throughout. All too far away when one goes back to the snow and ice outside, but it's nice to pretend for an hour or so.