Despite having visited DC many times in the past few years, there are still so many places that I have not seen. For example, I have barely made a dent in the Smithsonian museums and I have yet to visit all the monuments. So in this post, I’m going to talk about two new experiences that I have yet to write about on this blog.

The Smithsonian National Zoological Park is one of the oldest zoo’s in America. Founded in 1889, the Zoo currently is host to over 390 species, about 1/5 of them are considered endangered or threatened. The Zoo’s research includes reproductive biology, conservation biology, biodiversity monitoring, veterinary medicine, nutrition, behavior, ecology, and bird migration.

The Zoo’s most famous inhabitants are perhaps their 3 Giant Pandas. Mei Xiang and Tian Tian are on loan from the China Wildlife Conservation Association, and will live at the zoo until 2023. Their child, Xiao Qi Ji, was born in August 2020 and currently resides in the Zoo.

One of my favorite habitats at the Zoo is their The Small Mammal House, which features the most adorable little creatures I’ve ever seen. The Red Ruffed Lemurs were hilarious to watch and the skunks were super cute and fluffy.

After visiting the Zoo, head over to the National Art Gallery.

The National Gallery features my favorite Monet, Woman with a Parasol – Madame Monet and Her Son.

Another favorite of mine is Pissarro’s The Louvre, Afternoon, Rainy Weather.

The National Art Gallery also hosts many amazing pop art pieces, including Wayne Thiebaud’s Bakery Case.

And of course, Katharina Fritsch’s Hahn/Cock, the giant 14-foot-high blue rooster on top of the National Gallery’s East Building. Back in March 2021, the Glenstone Museum donated Hahn/Cock to the National Gallery, making rooster’s position a permanent fixture on top of the East Building.