The national archives in dc to see the original hitler signed nuremberg laws
originally sent from phone...
edit to add:
so today we drove from NJ to DC, 3 hours each way roughly, to spend 3 minutes gazing at the original Hitler signed Nuremberg Laws. The laws that were the beginning of the end for the Jews of Germany and Central Europe. It is the first time they have been on free public display, and it will only be there for a few more days!!!

So, as crazy as it seems we went to the US national archives, skipped the main attractions of the Magna Carta, Constitution, Bill of Rights & Declaration of Independence....and proceeded directly to the Nuremberg papers....the only thing not relating directly to American History in the entire place. I guess as a historian on a mission to see something while available this can be understood, although...most people just think I am a bit crazy.

Lillian & Albert Small Jewish Museum

We made it to the Lillian and Albert small Jewish museum & Jewish historical society of Washington DC today. We arrived just a few minutes before 1pm after having lunch at the green Turtle nearby, and the gate was still chained shut, So we called the number on the sign as directed and within a few minutes a representative arrived to show us around. The museum consisted of a trip inside one of DC's first synagogues and the story of how it came to be where it was. Originally located elsewhere and moved the exhibit included photographs of the many uses it had to endure before finally being rescued and moved to it's new home on a small piece of left over land from a freeway on ramp.

Madame Toussaud

We just went to Madame Toussaud's Wax Museum. It was neat you could take photos w/the figures. they had more then listed online.

Inside there was a short video about the history and making of the wax figures, then you enter the exhibits. There are a lot of presidents spread throughout the museum exhibits, it is obvious that they choose the figured based on the locations though as this one was very heavily populated with political figures. You could sit with Lincoln in his theater booth and shake hands with George Washington, have your photo taken with the Obama's and even sit in the Oval Office for a picture.

The interactive exhibits even continued into the bathrooms as there were fake hats on the sinks so you appeared to have on a silly hat as you washed you hands, and the stalls had "singer" "actress" and other designations on the door, with trivia inside the stalls which could be answered by reading the plaques by the displays inside the museum!

hard rock cafe

hard rock cafe in dc is a blast, although it is a bit loud. It would be much more enjoyable if the drunks at the bar would stop yelling hey...

So to expand on my blog from my phone we finally made it to the hard rock after walking half way and hailing a cab for the final portion of the journey. we were lucky and walked right in and were seated, the prices are slightly higher then the one near my home in Atlantic City, but the food was great and the service was excellent.

Native American Indian Museum

the Native American Museum is right along the mall between the Air & Space Museum and the Capitol Building....it has a lot of great exhibits if you are interested in finding more information about the various tribes..you have to spend a lot of time standing around listening to the story be told for each tribe though, and the lay out is not the greatest with walls in odd places making it like a maze...at one point we walked into what appeared to be a small exhibit area and it turned out to just be an artist gallery of painting someone did of native americans, most were abstract and you were forced to walk thru the winding maze to get out again...i do not see the educational value in this area of the museum, it belong in an art gallery not a museum about the Native Americans...

Boy do my feet hurt after walking all over today, the nicest thing about this museum was the padded benches placed throughout the building on all of the floors1

we tried to see the

We tried to see the Jewish Historical Society & Lillian and Albert Small Jewish Museum ...but after a long subway ride and an even longer walk, getting lost, walking around in a few circles and finally finding it we see the sign out front, it is only open on Monday, Tuesday & Thursday from 1-4PM...So back to the subway it is.

I did take some shots of the fencing it is really neat...check it out!!

Holocaust Center Again

today we stopped back at the holocaust center to hit another book signing, this author was apparently not as nice as the one yesterday who wanted to discuss his book with those visiting. Unfortunately I did not get to meet this author as i was not allowed in the building with a drink which i had purchased just outside. I was told very rudely that I would have to exit the building find a trash can and dispose of the bottle then return, the nearest trash can was the one 1/2 a block away at the vendor I had just purchased it from. Yesterday there was no problem with me having a bottle I think this guard was just being a jerk!

Either way I apparently did not miss much, I just sat against the wall outside and waited for my friend to come out.