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dave bodle
very year tens of thousands of visitors, from school chil-
Although the original shipment of 2,000 trees in 1910 con-
dren and foreign students to families, meetings and tour
tained a virus, the two cities were not deterred. On March 27,
groups, descend on our Nation’s Capital. With so much of our
1912 First Lady Helen Herron Taft and Viscountess Chida, wife
history and heritage in Washington, DC, it is an experience like
of the Japanese ambassador, planted two trees on the Tidal
no other in the world. There is so much to see and do, you’ll al-
Basin from a new shipment. The giving tradition continued in
ways depart wishing you had more time.
the following years with gifts of flowering dogwoods to Japan and additional cherry trees given to the United States.
Destination DC
National Cherry Blossom Festival
All forms of creativity are expressed in the events that are
This past March and April the city celebrated the centennial
part of the festival. From a variety of artistic expressions and
of the 1912 gift of 3,000 cherry trees from Tokyo Mayor
cultural traditions to natural beauty and community spirit, there
Yukio Ozaki to the City of Washington, DC. The annual Cherry
is something for everyone. Signature events include Family
Blossom Festival, the nation’s springtime festival, attracts more
Day and the Opening Ceremony, the Southwest Waterfront
than a million visitors each year to witness the blossoming of
Fireworks Festival, the National Cherry Blossom Festival Pa-
the trees and enjoy the numerous events.
rade® scheduled for April 13, 2013 and the closing event
Must-See
PetalFest on the Woodrow Wilson Plaza. Begin your planning at nationalcherryblossomfestival.org, or 877-442-5666.
DC An infinite array of events and attractions keeps groups busy in our Nation’s Capital
48 June 2012
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Top attractions on the National Mall include the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and Newseum, a favorite with news junkies and history buffs.
National Mall
With seven levels of galleries and exhibits, theaters and
name for such a meaningful, premier destination. It is here
retail spaces, the Newseum mixes 500 years of news history
that a grateful nation honors the men and women who
with up-to-the-moment technology and hands-on exhibits. The
fought and died to keep us free. It is here we commemorate
Freedom Forum, a non-partisan foundation dedicated to “free
the legacies of our presidents and the leadership they
press, free speech and free spirit for all people,” is the principal
provided. At this wonderful place we are reminded and
funder of the Newseum, which is located on Pennsylvania
celebrate this country’s commitment to freedom, fairness
Avenue, halfway between the Capitol and White House.
and equality.
Photos (left) Destination DC; (right) Sam Kittner/Newseum
Newseum
The National Mall is such a simple and straightforward
The largest of the Newseum’s 15 galleries and exhibits, the
As an integral part of the National Park Service, the
News Corporation News History Gallery, is centered on the
National Mall and Memorial Parks is responsible for more
museum’s more than 30,000 historic newspapers, tracing five
than 1,000 parkland acres (including the cherry trees!) in
decades of news. World news and the dangers reporters face
the heart of the capital. Its charge is to interpret and main-
is the storyline in the Time Warner World News Gallery.
tain some of our most significant historical resources. The
The Bloomberg Internet, TV and Radio Gallery, devoted to
unit is responsible for the Washington Monument, Thomas
the history of electronic news, features a timeline of milestones.
Jefferson Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Franklin Delano Roo-
An original documentary looks at many of the people and
sevelt Memorial, Ulysses S. Grant Memorial, D.C. War Me-
events in television news from 1947 through 1969. One of the
morial (World War I), World War II Memorial and Korean
most dramatic galleries is the Pulitzer Prize Photographs
War Memorial. Also the Vietnam Veterans Memorial,
Gallery.
George Mason Memorial, Pennsylvania Avenue from the
The ABC News Changing Exhibit Gallery delves into a
White House to the Capitol, Constitution Gardens, and East
wide variety of media issues with regularly changing exhibits.
and West Potomac Parks. The Mall’s newest memorial is
Appropriately, on display through inauguration day Jan. 27,
the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial. (Besides all the me-
2013, is “Every Four Years: Presidential Campaigns and the
morials, of course, are the Mall’s many outstanding Smith-
Press.” More than 120 artifacts on display explore how cam-
sonian museums.)
paigns have changed from the 1896 front-porch campaign of
Take full advantage of park ranger interpretive programs
William McKinley to Barack Obama’s 2008 Internet campaign.
by visiting the calendar online at nps.gov/nama/plan-
On April 27 the Newseum unveiled its newest gallery, the
yourvisit/events.htm. Beyond the special events, the park
Hewlett-Packard New Media Gallery. Demonstrating how the
staff offers daily interpretive programs every hour on the hour
new media has fundamentally altered the journalism land-
from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. at the Thomas Jefferson Memorial,
scape, visitors enter an innovative, interactive experience.
Lincoln Memorial, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial,
Groups of 10 or more are required to have reservations
World War II Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial and
and enjoy discounted ticket prices. Begin planning online at
Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
newseum.org.
LeisureGroupTravel.com
June 2012 2008 49
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Obtain Washington D.C. visitor guides and itineraries and contact group-friendly suppliers directly at leisuregrouptravel.com/instant-info
Groups confront thethese horrors of WWII at the United States Holocaust Memorial Cherry frame view of the Jefferson Caption here on lines here Caption here Caption here on these lines Museum. here Caption hereblossoms Caption here ona these Caption here onMemorial. these
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Ironically, located on our National Mall among our nation’s
of promoting human dignity. To say the least, the Holocaust Museum is both eye-opening and inspiring.
monuments to freedom and the price paid, the museum
The Holocaust is the three-floor main exhibition and
provides a commanding lesson in the frailty of freedom. It
presents a comprehensive and chronological history of the
instructs millions of visitors every year in the need to prevent
period. Divided into three sections, the presentation begins
genocide, the dangers of unbridled hatred and the necessity
with State of Deception: The Power of Nazi Propaganda. Through rare posters, photographs, artifacts and film this exhibition explores how the Nazi Party used well-crafted messages and techniques to influence many of its vision for a new Germany. Told from a young person’s perspective, Remember the Children, Daniel’s Story is a history of the Holocaust for families and young people, based on children who survived and their recorded stories of what happened to them from 1933 to 1945. The memorial to the 1.5 million children who died in the Holocaust is an unforgettable experience for all visitors. The third exhibition outlines the history of A Dangerous Lie; The Protocols of the Elders of Zion. Written in 1903, this fictitious document outlines the alleged Jewish plot for world domination. It was the Nazis’ major source of evidence against the Jews. Completely discredited many times over, “The Protocols” are still used today to incite hatred. A half dozen additional exhibits include the Meed Survivors Registry. Although the museum is free of charge, passes are required. Begin your group’s travel plans at ushmm.org. LGT
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