Description: A marvel of the 21st century, the Newseum opened to the public in 2008. I say this is a marvel because if you consider we are in the midst of the age of immediate 24/7 news and information. So to have a resource such as the Newseum that largely highlights the history of journalism from the early news print and radio days to the era of 24 hours a day news shows on cable TV and the internet is pretty special in my book.
Perhaps I'm biased, but I felt that the 20 minute video "Press Box: The History of Sports Reporting" really portrays how telling the news has changed over the past hundred plus years. You don't need to be a sports junkie to understand the message or appreciate the evolution of journalism.
But I have jumped ahead . . . your visit should start with the short orientation provided on the concourse level. From there, you will find a wealth of other interesting exhibits including the Berlin Wall and some interesting FBI history that for most baby boomers will feel like a historical walk through their life via news clippings. I especially loved the "Athletes" exhibit - the photojournalistic work of Walter Iooss. Some of the most famous Sports Illustrated covers are the work of Iooss.
From the concourse level, it is suggested that you take the express (glass) elevators up to the sixth floor for the outside walk that parallels Pennsylvania Avenue. It is here that you may have the best photo op in the city, with the US Capitol as your backdrop. Do NOT miss this! Also along that walkway you can take in the exhibit of how Hurricane Katrina was covered.
We opted to go from this area down to the fourth floor for the 9/11 exhibit, which was especially moving. Be sure to read about photojournalist William Biggart, who went into the devastation to capture those moments on film, and lost his life doing so. The images captured in those final moments before the first tower came down are included in this tribute.
Also on the fourth floor is an interesting "special exhibit" featuring Elvis. There's not a lot there, but it is interesting to read how he was covered at the beginning of his career and end of his life.
Admittedly, there is a lot to see and take in at the Newseum. Because we had a couple of other interests scheduled for this day, we limited ourselves to three hours. After four hours, we had to make our way out.
Some of the things we had to by-pass during our visit include the Pulitzer Photo Hall, the Ethics Center, Tim Russert's Office and the two TV studios that are used for broadcasting. We're OK with that, however, as this gives us a reason to come back again in the future!
My general recommendation would be to get there first thing in the morning, or take advantage of the two day admission which is standard with all admission ticket purchases. With an early morning flight home to Milwaukee the next day; this wasn't an option for us on this visit.
We did have a light lunch while down on the concourse level and felt their prices were fair and reasonable considering they were located in a tourist attraction. Options included healthy choices like salads and fruit; pizzas & sandwiches, as well as full entree meals.
Ticket prices and operating hours may be found on their website: www.newseum.org. We did see a 25% off discount coupon for 2010 at our timeshare resort, so you may want to check around to see if there is a similar discount available when you visit. If not, no worries, as this museum is well worth the full price of admission!
To get to the Newseum, take the Metrorail to the Archives/Navy Memorial stop which is accessible on all lines except the red, from which you can transfer to the yellow or green at the Chinatown station. The walk will be about three blocks down Pennsylvania Avenue.
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