Destination: Take a Walk on the Wild Side

Smithsonian's Gardens are Living Museums

Whether you’re a mad plantsman or someone who just likes pretty flowers, the gardens of the Smithsonian are sure to amaze. You never know what you’ll find around the corner of the next museum. It might be tropical banana plants sprouting from the base of the Arts and Industries Building, a 25-foot-long apatosaurus (it’s ALIVE!) or a collection of rare orchids. Admission is free, the gardens are open every day.

Postcards from the Edge
Imagine for a moment traveling back to the Congo Free State at the turn of the previous century.

It is a grim time, when the cultures from two regions—Western Europe and Central Africa—collided with far-reaching consequences. Bowed under by the organized avarice and superior firepower of the Belgians, the Congolese die by the millions. At the helm is Belgian King Leopold II, who ranks among the most ruthless rulers of the late 19th and early 20th century.