Ever need a place to go over the weekend? A trip to a fair or carnival may sound like a lot of fun, but have you ever thought about going somewhere both fun AND educating? Look no further, that place is the Smithsonian Museum!

The Smithsonian is the world’s largest research facility and museum with nearly 137 million exhibitions. It shares great collections with more than 161 museums across the country! The Smithsonian offers a wide selection catering to all interests of students, from art to science. There is always something to explore:

• The original Star Spangled Banner is showcased there. On September 14, 1814, American soldiers at Fort McHenry raised a huge American flag to celebrate a great victory against British forces during the War of 1812. The “broad stripes and bright stars” inspired Francis Scott Key to write a poem that eventually became the United States’ national anthem.
• There’s also the Apollo lunar landing module. It is a two-part vehicle designed to carry two astronauts to the moon and back. The upper part consisted of crew equipment areas and a rocket engine. The lower stage had the landing gear and contained the rocket engine and lunar surface experiments.
• In the museum, there isn’t just science and history in the displays. There are displays of fiction, one of them including Dorothy’s ruby red slippers from The Wizard of Oz. These magical shoes, changed from the silver slippers in the book, to the ruby red shoes. Dorothy got these shoes from Glinda, the Good Witch of the North, and kept them away from the Wicked Witch of the West in order to get home.
• The dresses of the First Ladies are just another one of the magnificent displays at the Smithsonian museum. These dresses and accessories have been the interest of tourists and visitors for several decades. They come to see the beautiful gowns of the first ladies, and learn the contributions that each one has made for our country.

  

  

  

  

  

  One of the Smithsonian museums is the one located in lower Manhattan. The address is: One Bowling Green New York, NY 10004. It is open every day from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, except on Thursdays, when it is are open from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm.