Museums, theatres, attractions, restaurants and hotels in the Capital Region will join together for a summer 2006 cultural promotion, Washington, DC Celebrates American Originals. Headlining the promotion, the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery’s re-opening celebration will take place July 1, just in time for the Independence Day holiday. Other summer highlights include:• Reopening exhibitions at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery: William Wegman- Funney/ Strange, William H. Johnson Prints, presidential portraits and more.
• Capital Fringe Festival: Washington, DC’s first-ever celebration of experimental and innovative performing arts, taking place July 20-30.
• Honky-Tonk: Country Music Photographs by Harry Horenstein at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, featuring photos of country’s greatest performers, past and present.
• Duke Ellington’s DC, a walking tour that follows the footsteps of one of the jazz legend and DC native.
• Charles Sheeler: Across Media at the National Gallery of Art, presenting the works of the celebrated American photographer.
• American Gargoyles at the Washington National Cathedral, showing off the Cathedral’s uniquely American interpretation of grotesque adornments.
• Wilson 150: The Exhibition, an exhibition celebrating Woodrow Wilson’s 150th birthday at the Woodrow Wilson House Museum.
• Billy Wilder: American Original, a free weekly film screening of one of America’s best-loved actors’ legendary works at the National Theatre.
• American Originals- EYEWITNESS, a collection of first-hand testimonials and photographs from witnesses of major historic events, displayed at the National Archives.
• Mame, the Broadway classic comes to the Kennedy Center with Christine Baranski singing the title role.
Washington, DC hotels will create patriotic packages to complement the cultural programming. The Churchill Hotel invites guests to enjoy breakfast for two and two all-day Metro passes, with rates starting at $139 per night. The historic Omni Shoreham Hotel’s American Originals package includes full breakfast for two and complimentary parking, starting at $229 per night. At The Madison, a featured summer package includes dinner for two in Palette, the acclaimed adjoining restaurant, and complimentary valet parking, starting at $359 per night. The city’s restaurants will join in the promotion by featuring beloved American recipes and inventive recipes made with fresh, local ingredients. Packages are available exclusively at www.americanoriginalsdc.org or by calling 1-800-422-8644 ext. 449.