Crime and Punishment Museum and the Cherry Blossoms!

Today I went to downtown Washington D.C.  I bought a groupon ticket (it was half off) to go the Crime and Punishment Museum and I needed to use it soon and today seemed like a good day to. 

The museum was fascinating.  It was disturbing.  It was sad. It was informative.

 I believe this sign was talking about the Medieval Ages and I found it interesting.  Some of the ones I thought were fascinating and would put a lot of people in jail now were displayers of public affection, cursers, ballad singers, traveling musicians, magicians and actors, and liars. 

 

 

No kissing on the Sabbath. 

 I know there's a lot of reading in the pictures, but there was just so much information.

 Here's a mother who all four of her boys lived a life of crime. Some people think she might have been the mastermind behind some of the crimes her boys committed but others seem to think otherwise.  Meaning she aided and abetted them but did not plan the crimes.  She was a single mother who worked a lot and was not home very much to discipline her boys.

 I found this story interesting. He hijacked a plane, demanded ransom money, got the money and then jumped out of the plane (with a parachute) and was never seen again. They believe he lived through it, but went into hiding. 

 This picture goes with the hijacked plane one above. 

 Frank Abagnale Jr. We all know who he is from the movie "Catch Me if You Can" with Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks.  I think I've heard it before but I forgot that he was a teacher's assistant at BYU with a forged degree from Columbia University. 

 He got away with some crazy things in his younger days.  He now works to fight against counterfeiters like he used to be. 

 I found it special that they put a dog in prison for killing a cat.  As it says on the sign, they probably did it to improve morale in the prison.  

 Here are some pictures that criminals have painted while in prison. A quote from the picture "On many occasions I have watched birds fly in and out of my prison, and I wanted to capture their free movement. Wish I had wings to take me out of here..."  He used very interesting materials to create this picture...toothpaste, baby powder, white out, colored pencils etc. 

 Here's another picture painted by a prisoner. 

I think I was in the museum for 2-1/2 hours or more. It was interesting but there was so much stuff to read.  There was stuff about torture devices, about high profile criminals such as Al Capone, Ted Kaczynski, Ted Bundy, John Dillinger, Jesse James and many many more, about the consequences of crime, about those brave men and women that fight crime etc.  It was fascinating but disturbing.  I almost cried at times (seriously).  This museum is not for kids. 

After the museum I ate my lunch at the sculpture garden across from the National Archives. But along the way to eat, I passed a cupcake shop that I decided to try (Red Velvet Cupcakery).  I bought a carrot cake cupcake (which was recommended by the cashier). 

I waited to eat the cupcake until I was closer to the tidal basin which is where I wanted to go next and see the cherry blossoms.  So I sat down next to a tree across from the tidal basin and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and ate the cupcake. It was yummy and I forgot to take a picture of the cupcake so the bag had to do for my evidence that I went there :)    

 Aren't the blossoms beautiful?!

 Me with the blossoms and the Washington Monument in the background.

 Upclose!

 I love the tidal basin and the Jefferson Memorial and the cherry blossoms combined!

 Self-portrait!

Some kind older gentleman saw me taking the self-portrait above and offered to take a picture for me. 

What a lovely day it was today!   I visited a new museum and learned a lot.  I enjoyed the beauties of nature and spring time.  The weather was warm but not overwhelmingly so.

Oh and Happy Saint Patrick's Day!