D.C. Day 1: Art & History

By Alara Deniz and Blake King

Today was quite a long but exciting day! After rushing on to the bus at 5:30am to grab the best seats, we set off on our long journey to Washington D.C. We filled the time by playing cards, singing, talking with each other, drawing, reading, napping, or being on our phones. We stopped half-way for a much needed break, where some of us bought food, drinks, and candy.

Loud cheers erupted from all over the bus when we finally arrived at our first stop in Washington D.C. — the National Gallery of Art! We split up into three groups and took a guided tour called “Breaking the Rules.” We learned about artists who “broke the rules” by challenging norms in art, engaged in discussions with our tour guides, and did a couple of simple art projects. After the tours, we gathered around to listen to Matthew, Jessica, Blake, and Will tell us about the art gallery.

After meeting up with our tour guide, Iesha, we headed to the outdoor Sculpture Garden across the street. In the center of the 6.1-acre park, there was a large, beautiful fountain, and surrounding it were many modern and contemporary sculptures, as well as stunning flora and fauna. We had 30 minutes to explore on our own and take pictures, and then met up again to head to our next destination!

We walked up the road to the Smithsonian Museum of American History. After hearing about the

museum from Daisy and Audrey, we had more time to split up and explore. There were many interesting exhibits, some of which featured the history of American food, the history of American sports, the history of everyday objects, dresses of the former first ladies of the United States, and so much more. We also stopped by the large gift shop where many people bought silly hats and souvenirs.

Our last stop of the day was the National Portrait Gallery. At the National Portrait Gallery, we had free time to look around and view really interesting pieces of art, including portraits, and sculptures. Around 6:30 p.m., we got back on the bus to head to dinner, which featured all types of delicious pizza.

When dinner was finished, we headed to the hotel and learned about our itinerary for the next day. We all then settled into our hotel rooms, and had some time to run around (as quietly as we could) to explore each other’s rooms. Everyone is so excited for tomorrow!