In Progress - #22: Visit a different museum every month for a year

This month, my boss graciously distributed a number of Newseum tickets she'd received at a charity function, giving us the opportunity to visit the D.C. museum for free. The Newseum is one of my favorite museums in the city, and I assure out-of-town guests that it's worth every penny. However, seeing the museum for free was truly a blessing.

New from my last visit was an exhibit dedicated to 50 years of Presidential Photographers. Because my first job in D.C. was in the White House, I have a special love for all things executive branch. While the exhibit's short video did a great job of highlighting some of the great presidential moments that these photographers have captured, I wish it had gone more into their roles - how they were selected, what a day in the life of the photographer looks like, etc. Many of the images featured in the film were also on display just a few feet away, so I would have liked to see more of a complementary role for the two different media.

A few of my favorites images from the exhibit - two Eric Draper photos of President Bush and a sweet photo of President Reagan, so in love with his Nancy.

A trip to the Newseum is not complete without a visit to the moving 9/11 exhibit. The wall of front pages always makes such an impact and brings us all immediately back to that day.

Today I was especially struck by this handwritten newspaper from Japan. Following the tsunami and earthquake that damaged the nuclear reactor at Fukushima and knocked out power for much of the surrounding area, the local newspaper - unable to print without power - hand-wrote daily front pages, posting them in local communication centers. Such dedication to bringing the people timely, factual, relevant news is a true reminder of the role and need for a free press in society.

Today I also made sure to visit the re-creation of Tim Russert's office. When my dad visited this summer, I know the set-up was one of his favorite parts of the museum. He said he spent a lot of time reading the titles of the books on Russert's shelves, comparing them to his own library at home. I captured a picture of the shelves, so hopefully Dad will have plenty of time to peruse them!

I always get a kick out of the KXAS chopper floating above the main concourse - a nod to Dallas even in the center of D.C.

 And of course, I captured an Instagram snap from the 6th floor terrace - hands down the best (publicly accessible) view of the Capitol in all of D.C.!