See the Capital ... and the Capitol

Are you dying to see museums and historical monuments? If you have some time, head to Washington, D.C. A visit to our nation's capital is the culture bargain of a lifetime! The Smithsonian Institution is worth a trip from anywhere. Although even some Americans think that the Smithsonian is a single museum, in fact, it's a complex of 19 museums and 9 research centers. NINETEEN MUSEUMS! All of them right in the same area! And here's the best part: they're free! There is no admission fee to visit any of the Smithsonian museums. Yes, U.S. taxes pay for these museums, so you can enjoy seeing those taxes hard at work.

Do you like bugs? There's a museum for that. Thinking about flying to the moon? There's a museum for that. Longing for a look at long-lost lizards? There's a museum for that. The Smithsonian Institution has museums for just about anything you could possibly be interested in.

In the newspaper, you'll be able to find theater reviews, movie times, and reviews of new music releases. Look for a section called Community Events. You'll find that most communities have arts groups that perform locally. There are plays, classical concerts, and popular music. Even the local high schools and colleges put on plays and concerts. Ticket prices for these local performances are usually very low, and the performers are often very talented, so you can bring the whole family. In fact, you can even audition to become part of an orchestra, amateur theater group, or dance troupe.

Maybe you're just hoping for a stroll through beautiful gardens surrounded by sculpture. Yes, the Smithsonian has it all: architecture and art, gardens, space information, ethnic museums, collections of clothing, history . . . You name it, and it's there. And, of course, you can even buy a not-so-culturally-important T-shirt on the mall. In fact, when you need a rest from all that walking, the mall is a beautiful spot to relax. This is not a shopping mall; it's a long stretch of lawn and walkways, with benches and some food places. You can see the beautiful U.S. Capitol building with its white dome on one end, and the 555-foot-tall Washington Monument on the other end.

Because there's so much to do and see, it's a good idea to plan your cultural visit well in advance. If you're not planning to do a tour on foot, you can arrange for all kinds of different tours. These special tours will cost money. Of course, there are the typical bus tours. These will pick you up at many different locations and drive you through the entire area. Usually you can hop on and hop off. As the bus takes you to different spots, you can stop to visit the attraction for as long as you'd like, then get on a bus to the next stop when you're ready.