April 2009
In Our Own Backyard
News Time at the Newseum
By Mary Quattlebaum
Families can get the scoop on news at the Newseum, a newcomer to Washington’s museum scene. First located in Arlington from 1997 to 2002, the Newseum moved into a new space on Pennsylvania Avenue last April. And what a space – 250,000 square feet, with 7 levels, 15 theaters, 14 main exhibit galleries and 130 interactive stations.
Through its lively presentation of ideas and artifacts, “the Newseum helps people understand the vital role that a free press plays in a functioning democracy,” says Cathy Trost, director of exhibit development, in an e-mail. Computer games, historic photos and videos enliven the experience for kids. They can have “a whole lot of fun” as they learn, says Trost.
Given the Newseum’s size, scope (more than 500 years of news history) and admission fee, it’s helpful to choose those exhibits that may be of most interest to your kids and bypass those, such as the 9/11 Gallery, that may not be age-appropriate. To get your bearings, you can pick up a Visitors Guide at the museum’s entrance or download one from its website, newseum.org. Check the website, too, for frequently offered discounts on admission prices.
My 9-year-old daughter and I visited for the first time a few months ago with just such discounted tickets. Our first stop was the Orientation Theater on the Concourse Level for an 8-minute video entitled “What’s News?” This was followed by a peek at “The Press Box,” a kid-friendly documentary on the history of sports reporting. We then stopped at one of the Newseum’s most imposing displays, which includes eight sections of the original graffiti-bedecked Berlin Wall, a three-story guard tower and news clips of the wall’s 28-year history.
Do you remember those news stories and photos from1989? Do you remember the cheering German crowds? For adults, perhaps one of the most intriguing (and sometimes unsettling) aspects of a Newseum visit is the sense of déjà vu that can overlay the experience. I remember when the Berlin Wall came down, I told my daughter. I remember those same news stories.
Next, we journeyed back even further in time through a 13-minute film in the Annenberg Theater on Level 1. All we needed for our “I-Witness: A 4-D Time Travel Adventure” was the pair of special glasses handed out by staff. Soon we were wincing at the musket fire that endangered Isaiah Thomas during the Revolutionary War and shaking (literally, in our special-effects seats) at the World War II bombs that blasted Edward R. Murrow’s London radio broadcasts. Intrepid female reporters were well represented by Nellie Bly, who dealt with rats, bad food and harsh treatment during her undercover investigation of a 19th century insane asylum. As the dramatized stories of these three journalists emphasize, discovering and reporting the truth often was (and still can be) a challenging, even dangerous task.
The exhibits and interactives give visitors numerous opportunities to learn more about the past, present and possible future of print and electronic news. Kids can take on the role of a reporter or photographer in the NBC News Interactive Newsroom on Level 2. They also can get a better sense of the issues and history of news coverage through “The Story of News” exhibit on Level 5. My daughter and I especially enjoyed perusing the old newspapers on display and watching two of several videos. The 7-minute “Hollywood Fact or Fiction” looks at how journalists have been portrayed in motion pictures, including Washington Post heroes Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, played by Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman, respectively, in All the President’s Men (1976). “The Press and the Civil Rights Movement” examines how TV coverage extended the reach of Civil Rights stories and images in the 1960’s and helped build national and international support for the cause.
The exhibit on Internet, TV and radio on Level 3 should prove a big draw for middle and high schoolers, who tend to stay informed through electronic rather than print media. Who knows how this evolving technology will shape how news is presented and received in the future? We’re already familiar with some of its effects, including shrinking subscriptions for daily newspapers. These days even the venerable New York Times and Washington Post are struggling to compete with largely free Internet news sources.
As if to save some of the best for last, the Newseum houses one of its most popular exhibits on Level 6. “Today’s Front Pages” displays the front page of 80 newspapers from around the world. It is fascinating to view the news in so many languages and to see how stories might loom big or small, depending on a given paper’s geographical location. The Level 6 terrace is also the place to take out your camera and snap a few photos of the surrounding Washington scene, including the U.S. Capitol.
To encourage repeat visits, the Newseum mounts temporary exhibits. Two open through December pack all the punch of true crime and dramatic coverage. To mark the bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln’s birth, “Manhunt: Chasing Lincoln’s Killer,” located on Level 6, looks at how the 16th president’s death and the hunt for his killer were handled by the press of the time. On the Concourse Level, “G-Men and Journalists” analyzes the work and image of the FBI and describes how the press both helped and hindered the agency’s investigations of bad guys, such as bank robber John Dillinger and spy Robert Hanssen.
My daughter and I ended our trip by exploring the First Amendment Gallery on Level 4 and the memorial to fallen journalists on Level 3. These exhibits bear eloquent testimony to an important truth: unbiased journalism is an important safeguard to our constitutional freedoms of religion, speech, press, assembly and petition.
“One of the best ways to preserve our democracy is a vigorous and free press,” says exhibit director Trost. “We hope [young visitors will] develop a lifelong habit for consuming news, whether on the printed page or on a smart phone, because knowledge is a powerful thing.”
Mary Quattlebaum is a children’s author and freelance journalist who enjoys visiting Washington sites with her family.
Things to know before you visit the Newseum
Location: The Newseum is at 555 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. It has seven levels.
Phone: 202-292-6100 or 1-888-639-7386.
Age: Ages 8 and up. Some material in the Newseum, such as the 9/11 Gallery, may be too intense for children and some visitors.
Handicap and Stroller Accessible: Yes. Elevators that stop on each floor are located on both sides of the building.
Hours: Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.
Cost: Adults (19 to 64) $20; seniors (65 and older), military and students with valid ID $18; youth (7 to 18) $13; children (6 and younger) free. Check the website for frequent discounts. Discounts also available for groups of 10 or more by calling 202-292-6690; group tickets must be purchased in advance. School groups should arrange visits through the Education Department at 202-292-6650. Tickets are available online at newseum.org or at the admission desk on Level 1. There is an additional $5 charge for participants in the interactive news room.
Transportation: Three Metro stations are but a few blocks away: Archives/Navy Memorial (Green Line), the closest, Judiciary Square (Red Line); and Smithsonian (Blue/Orange lines). No on-site parking. There are public garages nearby; rates and hours of operation vary.
Food: A food section and coffee bar are located on the Concourse Level.
Website: newseum.org