​Visiting the American History Museum.

The American History Museum was fantastic. A lot of very interesting things. They were grouped by the Presidents, First Ladies, Inventions, money, Cars, Steam, Electricity,...

We started with the Star-Spangled Banner.  Yes THE flag that flew over Fort McHenry. It  inspired Francis Scott Key to write the poem which later became the song we sing today.
Originally it was 30 feet by 42 feet after the battle and deterioration it is now 30 feet by 34 feet.

Other items was were able to see George Washington’s items used during the Revolutionary War including the suit worn when he accepted the commission as General of the Continental Army to fight the Revolutionary War. The sword that Cornwallis gave during the surrender of the British troops at Yorktown. The desk where Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence.  Benjamin Franklin's walking cane. The top hat worn by Abraham Lincoln when he was assassinated and Lincoln’s life mask. The Sword and Campaign hat worn by General Sherman at the Battle of Shiloh. The spyglass (binoculars), camp chair, and hat.  The chairs and table used at Appomattox to sign the surrender of the Confederate forces.  And items from every war the country has been involved with.

Edison’s first bulbs, Alexander Bell’s telephone box from 1876,  and the patents for many of the inventions.

An area on money. From gold coins to very rare ones. $50 paper money from 1778, $500 gold certificate, Madison on the $5,000 bill, Willson on the $100,000 bill.​

A big section dedicated to transportation from the oldest cars to the newest and several steam train engines. Everything looked like it was right off the showroom floor.

Computers from Babbage's difference engine, Apple's earliest computer, the first Mac, Michael Dell’s first computer, …  It is a bit embarrassing to see computers you have worked on and saw when they were new in the Smithsonian.  The first mouse. The first game system that became Pong.

Historic items like the Gold Spike from the continental railroad.The Ruby slippers from Wizard of Oz. The first artificial heart. Bert and Ernie from Sesame Street and the street sign used in the shows opening scene, Archie Bunker’s chair, Howdy Doody puppet, Julia Child’s Kitchen. ​

After that we stopped off at the White House to see it in the day.  I did not recognize who was in the garden but they had secret service watching them.