Five cheap Washington DC things that you can do in five days. Day four: The Washington Navy Yard and Museum

It is unfortunate that the Washington Navy Yard has been in the news so much lately Until the recent tragedy on the grounds, very few people in the region knew much about it. I think it is important to write about it now because this is one of my all time favorite places in DC and people need to know about it and go see it. I can't remember how many times I have been to the National Museum of the US Navy in my life. Located on the grounds of the The Washington Navy Yard which in itself if a historical treasure dating back to the War of 1812, I remember my dad first taking my brothers and  me down there when were were little kids. I have been back many times. It is a great place to take nieces and nephews as well as out of town visitors.

I have to admit, I just have always loved ships and things naval and this is the place for me to get my fix. I love the fact that admission is free and the museum is located in one of the old Navy Yard workshops complete with overhead cranes on rail tracks. In spite of the military theme, you will find it to be a great place to take kids because there are things there that they encourage them to climb on. How many museums do you know of that allow that? It is a very intimate place but has wonderful stuff to see. And, like so many of my favorite Washington, DC sites the Navy Yard Museum is under-visited. I can't think of a time that I have been there when there were more than a dozen or so other visitors.  Best thing there for me is the ship models, which feature amazing detail and can be quite large. Kids will like the para scope room where they can use actual submarine scopes to scan the surrounding shipyard for enemy vessel. There is an outdoor park with lots of odd knickknacks and an old 1950s destroyer (USS Barry) tied up at the dock for the public to tour.

For most of my life, Southeast Washington was considered a pretty hairy and dangerous part of town. However, all of a sudden it is the place to be in DC. With the new Nationals Park baseball stadium and the Anacostia River Walk Trail, the area is changing rapidly and offers plenty of great places to see and eat. Adults will need a valid drivers license to get pass the front gate of the Navy Yard and don't be surprised if they search your car trunk. However that is a small price to pay to get into this gem of a place.