The Newseum is a revolutionary museum about Journalism with fun games, engaging exhibits, and things to do for everyone.
The Newseum looks at history through the lens of modern media. Photo from Google Images
In the heart of Washington, D.C., the Newseum dominates a corner lot with an imposing metal-and-glass façade that houses numerous exhibits, movies, front pages, and much, much more. The entrance to the building is lined with the day’s headlines from the U. S., and even from around the world. With topics ranging from a wall of “Tweets” made from Civil War-era newspaper articles and journal entries to an incredibly well-done space devoted to 9/11, the Newseum features many extraordinary exhibits inside its sprawling building.
Most of the material used in the front of the building is glass, giving a sneak peek of the Newseum before visitors even walk through the doors. It features an out-of-commission news helicopter, a giant TV screen and tickertape, and a partial view of the six floors above and the one floor below. An introductory video is shown about the museum on the bottom floor, informing visitors about the most popular exhibits and movies. Directly after exiting, it’s recommended that visitors first walk over to an exhibit that features a section of the Berlin Wall.
The Berlin Wall was one of the prime exhibits at the museum. While touching the large segment of the Wall is prohibited, there are two smaller blocks that interested visitors can touch. The difference between two sides of the same wall is evident the second guests see the different faces. On one side, no concrete shows through the layers of colorful graffiti. On the other, the wall looks like it could have just been built. Exhibits like this showcase the meaning the museum conveys through interactive, historic stations.
Another perk of the Newseum are its giant glass elevators. They can carry a lot of people, but the really stunning view comes when the elevators are almost empty. It provides a one-of-a-kind look at the whole museum, and of the street leading up to the Capitol. After six stories, the elevator stops at the roof, where there’s a scenic photo opportunity on the balcony. The Capitol looms in the distance, and the Smithsonian museums line the streets. After that, visitors have the opportunity to wind their ways down six floors of history.
One of the first interesting exhibits is the collection of newspaper and magazine headlines dating from around 1500 to modern times. Video clips are ever running, including skits from Saturday Night Live and Jimmy Fallon. All the front pages are displayed in glass cases, and they all feature major historical events like the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and reports about the Civil War. This exhibit runs on both sides of a long room, and it’s easy to spend a lot of time there. After the front pages, there’s a tribute to journalists who have died on the job, and highlights the freedom Americans have.
Possibly the most heart-wrenching exhibit in the whole museum was the 9/11 feature. This exhibit is particularly striking in its presentation and meaning. Part of one of the collapsed buildings is on display, with a whole wall of newspaper pages towering behind it. A video featuring reporters and journalists who had covered the attacks plays in a theater that looks like a small cave. Maybe it’s the fact that this tragedy happened so recently, or that the victims were ordinary people like the ones walking on the street see every day, but this was one of the most emotional exhibits in the whole museum.
From the 1500s to the connection between the FBI and the news, the Newseum has it all. The collection of exhibits and artifacts is so vast that it would take a lifetime to give each of them enough attention. Some of my favorite exhibits were the ones on 9/11, the history of the news, and the Berlin Wall. With a food court and several huge movie theaters, there’s enough to do for the whole family to be engaged, and it’s a guaranteed good time.
The Newseum is a revolutionary museum about journalism with fun games, engaging exhibits, and things to do for everyone.
