CONTINUED FROM PAGE 31
looks like a flimsy glider – it’s quite astonishing to think this could have started the air age.
The museum also has a stratospheric selection of space memorabilia to fire the imagination.
Neil Armstrong’s space suit from the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969 is on display, along with the command module and moon rock.
Meanwhile sci-fi fans will love the X-Wing Starfighter that appeared in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and a pair of prosthetic ear tips made for Leonard Nimoy to portray Mr Spock.
The museum is fascinating, bringing the high-flying world of air and space travel to life – and best of all it’s free.
Founded by a legacy from British chemist James Smithsonian, the Smithsonian museums and galleries are all gratis and include art, natural history and American Indian artefacts.
One venue that isn’t free but is worth a visit is the International Spy Museum. Inside I channel my inner secret agent as a “spy volunteer” with the codename Evergreen.
We spy rookies are put to the test with secret missions, and after failing to catch some KGB operatives, I discover I’m more Oh, Oh No than 007.
James Bond’s Aston Martin DB5 takes pride of place in the foyer. First driven in Goldfinger in 1964, it’s loaded with machine guns, tyre slashers, oil jets and an ejector seat.
Shaken and stirred, I venture upstairs to see the tools and techniques of spycraft and learn about the famous secret agents who shaped the world of espionage.
Outside in the autumn sunshine, the leafy US capital with its elegant tree-lined boulevards, mid-rise buildings and imposing monuments in honour of its famous presidents is waiting to be explored.
While DC is very walkable, there are bus and bike tours to see the sights along the National Mall. A highlight is the Washington Monument, a pale obelisk needling the sky in honour of the first US president George Washington, along with the elegantly domed Thomas Jefferson Memorial.
While the closest I get to the White House is peering through the railings, it still looks splendid, set in manicured grounds with Secret Service personnel guarding the perimeter.
To the west of the city lies fashionable Georgetown, known for its university, boutiques, bookshops and bars. Founded in 1789, Georgetown