Last week, my folks were in town from Ohio visiting me and doing the \u27tourist thing\u27 in our nation\u27s capitol. On one of their days in town, I met them after work at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History (NMAH). We saw the Great Garrison Flag and the gunboat Philadelphia. My mom saw the First Ladies\u27 dresses while my father and I went to the military exhibit instead (we\u27re not much for fancy dresses). And although they were tired, and by this time had had their fill of history, I convinced them to let me drag them along to see two of the Smithsonian\u27s interpretive programs. [excerpt