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.

Five Cheap Washington DC things that you can do in five days. Day three: The National Building Museum

For my wife's birthday a few years ago I took her down to see the beautiful National Building Museum. Old timers in DC know it as the Old Pension Building. The building was designed by Montgomery C. Meigs who hailed from my native state of Georgia and is one of my favorite unsung heroes of the American Civil War.

Built before modern artificial ventilation, the building was designed to maximize air circulation: all offices not only had exterior windows, but also opened onto the court, which was designed to admit cool air at ground level and exhaust hot air at the roof. Made of brick and tile, the stairs were designed for the limitations of disabled and aging veterans, having a gradual ascent with low steps. In addition, each step slanted slightly from back to front to allow easy drainage: a flight could be washed easily by pouring water from the top. wikipedia

Admission to the building is "free" but there are always some special exhibits that you might want to see and they will charge a few bucks admission for those. Or don't see any special exhibits. Frankly, just a trip to see the grand lobby of the building and to walk around the interior will make your day. The building constructed in 1887 is all brick, and the massive Greek style columns in the open interior court are worth the trip alone. The museum is located between G and F streets, just a short walk from the Judiciary Square Metro Station.

Now is the best time to go because if there are no special events scheduled you are pretty much assured that there will be few other visitors around to cramp your views. However, if you can wait until next summer then the coolest thing to see is the Annual Indoor Mini Golf Course.