Address: 555 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
Phone: 888-639-7386

http://www.newseum.org/

Traveler Reviews

Excellent, lots to see, particularly for anyone interested in the media
Reviewed by A TripAdvisor Member on Oct 17, 2008


It is a large and well planned museum, and I agree with a lot of previous reviews which it is unnecessary to repeat. We spent 4 hours there and could easily have done another hour. I enjoyed the gimmicky yet fun 4D movie, the wonderful Pulitzer winning photgraphs, and the wealth of historical information on how the medium developped. Above all, I absolutely loved the informed, enthusiastic and helpful attitude of ALL staff members. I would take trainees in any business there to learn soemthing about the right attitude to servicing customers! One con: I think $20 is a little steep per person for some tourists, which is a great pity.

I could have spent hours in there!!!!!
Reviewed by A TripAdvisor Member on Sep 15, 2008


This was one of my very favorite things that we did on our trip. I thought it was worth every penny!!!! my only regret is that I didn't go there first thing in the morning, because the couple hours before closing wasn't long enough! I LOVED the Pulitzer prize exhibit, which was probably my favorite. My husband had to pull me away just so we could get the other stuff done before closing! There are so many interactive centers where you can watch all the historical events that have happened on little computers in tiny cubicles ( I could have spent 2 hours watching them). The exhibit on the first amendment is cool, and you'd be surprised (from the video) how many people don't know their first amendment rights!!! I was overall pleased with the Newseum!!!

Terrible. A waste of money.
Reviewed by A TripAdvisor Member on Sep 14, 2008


I?ve never done a review on a museum before. This one was so bad that I felt it my duty to warn the general public. Apparently the Newseum recently moved from it?s old home outside of D.C. to a an enormous, multi-billion dollar center located within walking distance of the Capitol and Museum of Art. Entry will cost you $20pp. That is too much for what you will get. Outside you will see the front page of a major newspaper from every state in the Union. Interesting. Inside ? well, you?re going to get the same thing. There is an ?orientation? movie which the ubiquitous Newseum staff will herd you towards. Skip it. It is just a self- congratulatory movie about just how great the media is. It just goes on and on. Then, at the end of the movie is a 3-4 minute time waster of a woman reviewing the different floors of the museum. There is nothing in that movie you need to orient to. The Newseum is set up on 6 levels. You?ll take a large, glass elevator to the top floor to enjoy an outside view of the city. That is one of the highlights. Then you?ll walk through pavilions going down stairs which weave back and forth across the large center space. Make sure to stop and marvel at their huge TV. Whoopty-doo! Probably the only exhibit which held the highest level of interest for me is a collection of old documents and newspapers. Scientific American from the 1800?s. Newspapers from the beginning of time. I found that to be incredibly interesting, particularly since they are so well preserved. The catch? They are stored in a room so dimly lit that you cannot read them. Why? Terrible planning. The 9/11 Exhibit was moving and especially poignant since we visited on September 11th. Next to the old newspapers, this was my favorite part of the experience. Make sure to see the photos taken between the falling of the two towers by a photo-journalist who died in the process. Absolutely moving. Looking around you?ll notice that this is a HUGE building with very little inside. Ask any Newseum staff member what to do next and they will all direct you to the 4D movie as this is their ?best? attraction. The movie was lame. There?s no other way to put it. I got very little out of it. Yes, it is in 3D, so if that floats your boat, make sure to do it. The East and West sides of a portion of the Berlin Wall will also move you. The sentry tower on the East side is downright bone-chilling. This part of the experience will take 5 - 10 minutes tops. For a museum about news I found the content to be lacking. News is not really a good set up for a museum. With the exception of Pulitzer Prize winning photographs (which is easy, passive viewing), the rest of the ?news? experience involves a lot more reading than you?ll either want to do or be able to do (because of lack of light). Worth doing, but not worth $20pp. If this is your first time to D.C. there are about 100 other activities I would do first.

Fantastic Museum
Reviewed by A TripAdvisor Member on Aug 24, 2008


I visited the Newseum on Pennsylvania Ave in Washington DC on August 13th 2008. I was in Washington for some sight seeing with my sister (we are both in our mid 30's) and my daughter who is 14 years old. We were looking forward to visiting this museum for a number of reasons, but most importantly because we are the children of a newspaper editor. The news is in our blood, so to speak. This museum did not disappoint in the least! First of all the location is amazing. It is built on the last free building space on Pennsylvania Ave, and the view of the Capitol Building from the rooftop terrace is amazing. You feel like you could just sit up there for hours and take in the view. The docents, and volunteers at the museum could not have been any nicer. They are always nearby to ask a question of, but do not hover. One of them was kind enough to try and find out if our mother's newspaper was one of the ones that they receive on a daily basis. They have a wonderful and moving tribute to the reporters who covered and died in the 911 tragedy. There are tissues located outside of the doors to the room for a reason (you will need them) The only downside to viewing this memorial was the large numbers of kids who came in and out of the auditorium. The staff at the museum should be more aware of this. They also have a fun interactive newsroom area that allows people of all ages to record a news broadcast. This requires a separate admission fee, but I felt it was well worth it. They give you a link so that you can download the broadcast from home. My favorite part of the museum was the rows and rows of front page headlines from over the years. To see the history of the world laid out like that was really amazing. There is a wonderful gift shop inside where I was able to find some unique items for my newspaper editor Mom, and they also have a Cafe inside as well. For adults and "news Junkies" you could easily spend 3-4 hours in this museum. My 14 year old daughter thought it was "pretty cool" but she wasn't nearly as impressed as I was. Overall I would say this is a great way to spend an afternoon while visiting DC. There is a little something for everyone here.

Dont Miss
Reviewed by A TripAdvisor Member on Aug 12, 2008


Great Experience. The 3d movie was fun. They had a special exhibit on the FBI with lots of stuff from the FBI Museum(which I think is closed to the public now). A great observation deck looking down Penn. Ave. Dont miss it.