World War I Lafayette Esscadrille Indian-head Airplane Insignia, 1917

Landed at Reagan yesterday and took the Metro to my hotel. Landing on the other side of the front, it is much warmer here in DC than it was in Saint Louis and way more humid too. It was freezing that morning in Saint Louis, but you really couldn’t say that we had our first frost, because the ground was still to warm for that. We did have flurries though. Winter is coming! After hotel check-in, I headed back out, sans bags. Walked around the Capitol and dropped into the National Botanical Gardens, but in that hothouse it was even more humid. I didn’t stay long. Next, I headed to the American Indian Museum. This my third visit and I am convinced that this museum is more building that it is exhibits. I base this opinion by comparing it to the other Smithsonian museums. Don’t get me wrong, it is a nice building and it isn’t the only museum that I have visited that has this rep. Think LA’s Getty, which may be on fire now, but not because of its collection. Still, the American Indian does have some nice really works. I especially love some of their modern pieces. It is one of the newest museums in the Smithsonian fold, maybe it just needs a little more time to mature. I love Native American art, I guess that makes me a bit of an Indian head. The above insignia is part of an exhibit on how whites have depicted the American Indian and it also featured a New Yorker cover featuring Washington’s favorite racist football club. My day ended in a dark and stormy night, as the front caught up.