The Museum of American History

We had SUCH a busy day today and did SO MUCH that I'm splitting it into two posts. This one is picture overload as it is...but we saw some REALLY cool things! The last thing we did today was spend about 2 1/2 hours walking through the Museum of American History.

Before I show you the rest of the pictures, I'll tell you about the one thing we saw and weren't allowed to take pictures of: The Star Spangled Banner. It was the actual flag that flew over Fort McHenry during the War of 1812, and the one that Francis Scott Key saw and inspired the poem that is now our national anthem. It was beautiful and breathtaking!

Julia Child's test kitchen

One of the original cheese wagons!

(Had to take this picture....the hubby has his CDL now, ha! Coaches in our district will now be driving their teams to away games - scares me!)

Dresses worn by the Supremes

Ella Fitzgerald's dress and Louis Armstrong's trumpet

The First Ladies Exhibit was one of my favorites. These aren't anywhere near all the dresses we saw. But, I won't bore you with all of them! (Wesley stayed on his blackberry through this exhibit!)

Mary Lincoln's inaugural dress

On the left, Nancy Reagan's inaugural dress, and on the right, Barbara Bush's inaugural dress.

On the left, Hillary Clinton's inaugural dress from '93, and on the right, Laura Bush's inaugural dress from '01.

Michelle Obama's gown she wore at the Inaugural ball.

Dorothy's ruby red slippers

Apollo Ohno's skates

Kermit : )

Fonzie's leather jacket

Lion King mask from Broadway

Rafiki's costume

Archie Bunker's chair from "All in the Family"

The radio microphone FDR spoke into for his Fireside Chats

Wesley about to give an Inaugural Address, ha!

The robe Sandra Day O'Connor wore when she was being sworn in.

Chelsea Clinton's ballet shoes

The gavel used during all four of Clinton's impeachment trials

Abraham Lincoln's hat

Lincoln's suit and Mary's dress

The blanket that covered Lincoln's coffin

The flag that flew on the train that carried Lincoln's body.

We saw so many amazing things today. This was only the tip of the iceberg. I've got a ton more pictures, but I'm too exhausted to do anything with them tonight! : )