The Newseum
photo: Courtesy of the Newseum
After years of development and a cost of roughly $450 million, the new Newseum has finally opened in Washington, DC. Visitors to this six-level steel-and-glass tribute to journalism can explore media history in 14 exhibition galleries, live broadcast studios, 15 theaters and nearly 50 interactive kiosks. Billed as the world’s most interactive museum, it lets would-be news jockeys pretend to be photojournalists, videotape themselves delivering a mock report or relive the experiences of pioneering reporters in a theme park–like simulator with moving seats and 3-D glasses (9 AM–5 PM; $20 per adult; $13 per child; 555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW; 888-639-7386).
All that news is bound to make even the most hard-core media junkies hungry, and fortunately there are plenty of handy dining options. The Newseum itself has a Wolfgang Puck–catered food court (chickens roasted on the spot, signature pizzas, a serious salad bar and a coffee bar with gelato and pastries). Next door, you'll find The Source, Puck's chic bi-level New American that opened in October. Here are some other Penn Quarter choices nearby to help you get the taste of newsprint out of your mouth: