nyer

I've been to DC many times and usually spend a couple of days in the museums on the mall. I've also enjoyed the Building museum, the Krieger collection near Georgetown, the Phillips Collection. Any smaller, lesser known places I might enjoy? The Spy Museum is probably not my style, but I'm open to all suggestions.
Also neighborhoods to walk around for cool shops, architectural interest, reasonably priced interesting food (anything but sushi)? A few months ago I spent a while walking around Penn Quarter and Dupont Circle, used to hang around Adams Morgan more. Those areas are fine too, and specific street, store and resto recommendations would be great.

321go

Have you been to Hillwood? www.hillwoodmuseum.org

nyer

No, and it looks great, but is closed all of January. I will keep it on my list for later in the year, though!

longhorn55

How about the Udvar-Hazy museum. It's certainly not small, but it's a fabulous musuem and you won't have any crowds there in January!

MikeT

The Museum of America Art/Portrait Gallery has reopened in the last year, after being completely rehauled. It's like a brand new museum with an interest collection.

The Corcoran gallery is also always interesting. There are also the less visited museums on the Mall, including the Native American museum, and the galleries for Asian and African art.

As for neighborhoods, the one neighborhood you haven't mentioned is U Street, easily the hippest neighborhood in DC. The place is changing faster than you can imagine. While significantly less to do, a visit to the Logan Circle neighborhood is also worth seeing.

nyer

to the top

suz12

So I have not been to DC in a while but the two museums I want to hit, in addition to the building museum, are the textile museum (a small one I think) and the new National Museum of the American Indian on the Mall.
The NMAI, from what I hear, does not dewll in the past. There is much emphasis on the present day, including works from living artisans. The exhibits are supposed to be very well done.

lennyba

I was there in March and really enjoyed this place: http://www.woodrowwilsonhouse.org/. It's located in the Dupont Circle area, which is quite a pleasant place to wander. I found the Textile Museum (which is just next door IIRC) very disappointing. Not many exhibits, and those weren't too interesting. Spent fifteen minutes there and moved on.

Ruff

I have to say that the Museum of the American Indian was a disappointment to me. The building is stunning, but the exhibits are difficult to access. Lots of interactive elements and factoids to read. Don't get me wrong -- I certainly like to learn about exhibits, and I work in the arts, but I just couldn't get into the exhibits.

emd

I felt the same way about the American Indian Museum. So much time and money spent, and the place is like a bad maze on the inside. Little tiny spaces that get very crowded where you need to be able to see and read exhibits. Very frustrating visit. But decent cafeteria...

Anonymous

There's always something interesting at the Folger Shakespeare Library, around the corner from the Library of Congress:

http://www.folger.edu/

bardo1

One of favorite museums in DC, large or small (this one is small), is the OAS Art Museum.

http://www.museum.oas.org/

I would suggest some time in the U st. area - lots of good shopping eating, etc. There are too many good restaurants/cafes to list. Here are a few:

http://www.busboysandpoets.com/

http://www.saint-ex.com/

http://lovecafe.cakelove.com/

http://www.dukemrestaurant.com/

Oohhs & Aahhs (to die for soul food) 1005 U St. NW

http://www.benschilibowl.com/


Shopping:

http://www.homerule.com/

http://www.meepsdc.com/

http://www.wildwomenwearred.com/

http://www.goodwooddc.com/

http://www.simplyhomedc.com/ (eat AND shop!)

nyer

Thank you, you have given me some new places to check out.
I have actually been to the Woodrow Wilson house (interesting) and the Textile Museum (not as interesting, to me). I'm also thinking of going to the National Geographic building, and did the Newseum ever move/reopen?

vjpblovesitaly

I just walked past the Newseum the other day and there is a big banner hanging on it that says "Opening in 2008." Their websites says it will open soon.

obxgirl

I'll second the motion for the Corcoran and the National Portrait Gallery.

And if you do head for the Folger, check the exhibition schedule at the Library of Congress. I've seen some gems there over the years.

Also:

National Museum of Women in the Arts
Smithsonian's American Art Museum and Renwick Gallery

kelliebellie

Last time in DC I ended up spending most of my time at the Daughters of the American Revolution building. It is a beautiful place with the largest geneology library outside of Utah. I ended up finding an obscure article about my great-great grandfather. They have a library shelf for just about every place in the US and it is easy to find things out about your relatives even if they came over much later than the revolution. I'm not really into the whole family tree thing, but I just found it fascinating.

Debi

You've gotten great ideas - and my favorite places are: Roosevelt Memorial, Korea memorial - and then you have to see the WWII Memorial (I assume you did the Vietnam memorial before - always worth a trip, though).....