There are only so many times that you can visit the Smithsonian museums. Sure, the Apollo spacecrafts are cool, and who doesn't want to see the Hope Diamond? But after a while you get tired of fighting the tourists and seeing the same old exhibits.
Check out a few of these museums that are not part of the Smithsonian. You'll have to pay to get into these museums, unlike the free Smithsonian museums, but they are well worth the price of admission.
The Newseum
This is the ultimate museum for news junkies. The Newseum has exhibits on the history of news and freedom of the press as well as a Pulitzer Prize photograph gallery. Be sure to visit the Today's Top Pages Gallery, which shows the front pages of over 700 newspapers from around the world. The Berlin Wall Gallery and the 9/11 exhibit are also must-sees.
Sarah Stahlberg, a junior in the School of Communication, said that as an SOC student she felt right at home at the Newseum. "The first time I went to the Newseum, I felt like a complete news junkie and communications nerd," Stahlberg said, "Even though it isn't free like other museums in the district, it is well worth the money, because there are so many cool things to see there."
Non-news junkies should also be able to enjoy the museums many interactive exhibits and historical artifacts. Also don't miss the beautiful outside veranda looking out towards the Capitol building.
Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily Tickets: Adults, $20; Students, $18 555 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. Metro: Archives/Navy Memorial-Penn Quarter Station (Green/Yellow Line)
The Spy Museum
Don't let the small exterior of this museum fool you - the Spy Museum is one of the largest and most interesting museums in D.C. This huge museum covers spy history from the Greek and Roman Empires to the present day. When you first enter the museum you are given a "spy profile" and a "fake identity" to assume, and you can test your memory about this fake identity at different interactive kiosks throughout the museum. For $10 extra dollars, you can also participate in "Operation Spy," which is a one-hour interactive experience that leads you through a day in the life of the average spy.
"The exhibits are really cool and showcase espionage over the past few centuries. It is well worth it for a day trip," said Michael Kelly, a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences .
Hours: 9:30 a.m.-7 p.m. daily Tickets: Adult general admission ticket, $18; Adult general admission ticket and adult ticket to Operation Spy: $32 800 F Street N.W. Metro: Gallery Place/ Chinatown (Red, Yellow and Green Lines)
National Museum of Women in the Arts
This is the only museum in America dedicated entirely to women in the arts, according to the museum's Web site. The museum has over 3,000 works of art from many famous women artists including Frida Kahlo, Georgia O'Keefe and Mary Cassatt. Be sure to check out the museum's newest exhibit, "Hard Copy: Books as Sculpture," a collection of sculptures made out of book pages which will run until January 2010. The museum also has one of the best gift shops of any museum in D.C. with many handmade gifts from all over the world.
Hours: 10:00 a.m.- 5 p.m. daily Tickets: $10 for adults, $8 for students 1250 New York Avenue, N.W. Metro: Metro Center (Red, Blue or Orange Line) or McPherson Square (Blue or Orange Line)
The Corcoran Gallery of Art
If traditional, classic paintings are too boring for you, head over to the Corcoran Gallery of Art. This gallery, which focuses heavily on photography, has an edgy, modern feel. The gallery has hosted exhibits from well-known photographers such as Anne Liebovitz, Ansel Adams and Andy Warhol. The Corcoran Gallery also showcases student work from the Corcoran College of Art and Design, so visitors can see the latest developments in the art and photography world.
Hours: Closed on Monday and Tuesday; Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m.- 9 p.m. Tickets: $10 500 17th Street N.W. Metro: Farragut North (Red Line)
