Friday, October 3, 2008

Newseum

The Newseum: Dedicated to promoting free press and free speech

Located on the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and 6th Street NW, the Newseum is Washington's museum to news and journalism. Built at a cost of $450 million, it opened to the public in April 2008. Originally based in Arlington, Virginia, the Newseum closed its doors in 2002 to build at this location.

The Freedom Forum, a non-profit foundation whose mission is dedicated to "free press, free speech, and free spirit for all people" funds the Newseum's operations. However, unlike the majority of museums located on or near the National Mall, there is a fee to visit the Newseum. Tickets are $20 for adults. I've heard mixed reviews about whether it's worth the twenty bucks, which is why I haven't been yet.

The subject of yesterday's photo, oriented properly today!

A staircase at the Newseum was the subject of yesterday's photo. And Wayne was right: I did turn the picture on its side. Here it is again, but this time right side up!

Just a different view of the same staircase.

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential

14 comments:

Rob said...

Interesting museum. Strange how this is dedicated to free speech and press, yet costs a Jackson to see it.

The colors are excellent here, the open staircase has great architectural appeal.

Concerning P.M., you're right, Bolero live is the best way to hear it. Strange how I found this track on the online music player on the Sympathique album. My album doesn't have Bolero. I wonder if Bolero is for non U.S. CD's. Somehow, I feel ripped off.

Virginia said...

I am thrilled to see the Nuseum. I am not sure it was open last Nov. when we were there. I have been dying for you to go. Not to worry. We will all chip in for that pricey ticket so you can be our excellent tour guide inside!

DL, you do need to crank out some more PM tunes on your blog. I discovered them through you! Merci

 gmirage said...

Beautiful, whichever way viewed...

Wayne said...

The images are great. $450M is an incredible amount of moolah for a relatively obscure project.

Yeah, yeah, I'll chip in for you to go and have a peak. Tell them you're a senior citizen, that's always good for a discount.

marley said...

Mystery solved! You were playing with us by turning it on its side (nice work!)

It is a good looking building, but $20 seems a lot for this kind of museum.

Janet Kincaid said...

Rob: Odd, isn't it, to have to pay to discuss free speech and free press. Go figure. As for P.M., I am holding you personally responsible for my having spent a good two hours today trying to track down Bolero. Sadly, I cannot report success. I think they may have initially released the song on Sympathique and then pulled it in subsequent runs. A shame really.


VJ: I wish we'd met up in November. We'd have had a ball! But I digress... For you, and all five of my loyal fans, I will spend a twenty to see this museum.


Mirage: Thanks! I had fun turning it on its side for variety!


Wayne: The hallmark of America is our ability to spend incredible amounts of money on relatively obscure objects.


Marley: I agree about the entrance price. But then, we're spoiled in D.C. Most of the museums are free. And the few that have fees, like the Phillips Collection or Hillwood Estates, have collections worthy of their admission. I'm not sure the news is worth $20!

Virginia said...

Tell em you know Wayne and moi, you will get a double senior citizen's discount! And as far as the two of us doing DC together, oh lordy, that would have been a site and one I would dearly love!

USelaine said...

I was sure it was a missle silo... but glad to be wrong. 8^)

Janet Kincaid said...

VJ: We'd show this town a thing or two, wouldn't we? LOL!


USElaine: In this instance, I'm glad your guess was wrong. This town is bad enough. The last thing we need is a missile silo! (Of course, truth be told, there probably is a missile or some kind of deterrent system hidden away in this city somewhere.)

Maya said...

I never would have guessed it was a stairway!

$20 seems a bit steep! I don't think I'd pay that much, though it does sound interesting.

Janet Kincaid said...

Maya: The Newseum and the International Spy Museum both have pretty hefty ticket prices. Oddly, I'd pay $20 to spend a day at the National Gallery of Art, if they charged, but I can't see paying that for something like the Newseum or the ISM.

Lucky Dip Lisa said...

Beautiful Staircase. Interesting and new concept to me having a NEWSeum. I'd me hard pressed to part with $20 if I wasn't sure...and here they prohbit us from taking photos, unless that fall under free press?

Sarah G said...

I visited the Newseum when I was in school (I can't remember admission - it was either free or something the school arranged for us because we were required to go for a class) and it was stilli n Arlington and it was interesting. I'd like to see it at the new location but haven't yet had the time to go when I've been in town.

And come on - no pictures of the Breast Cancer 3 Day that had us tromping through town? Or did we evade your lens somehow?! ;)

As for PM - I have Bolero, but I need to look at my home computer iTunes to figure out where I acquired it from - I've only downloaded one album from iTunes and I can't remember where I got the rest of them.

Janet Kincaid said...

Lisa: It does seem an odd subject for a museum.


Cowbark: Here's how clueless I am: I didn't even know the Breast Cancer 3-Day was here! If I had, I'd've gotten out my camera and found y'all and taken pictures. What a bummer!

If you have PM's Bolero on your iTunes, let me and Rob know. We'd both love a copy! (Damn the estate of Ravel for compelling Pink Martini to pull it from their recorded repertoire.)