You didn't think we could get through the last few days of 2007 without one more Smithsonian scandal, did you? The Post has a lengthy report today on National Museum of the American Indian's retiring director Rick West and the whopping $250,000 of Institution funds he spent on travel and luxuries. Although West can account for some of the travel -- going to visit Indian reservations, meeting donors -- much of it is vaguely characterized......

Written by DCist contributor Morgan Hargrave Museum exhibits are usually necessarily limited in focus, attempting depth rather than breadth. The few that are not so restrained tend to overwhelm their patrons, losing them in an ambush of Too Much Information. Yet the National Museum of the American Indian has managed to avoid this pitfall in three exhibits that aim to define the entire histories, cultures, and guiding philosophies of indigenous people in the Western Hemisphere.......

We've arrived at another Friday, Washington, so welcome to it. Some sad news to note off the bat, however, as the Post brings word that the last movie theater left in the Dupont Circle neighborhood, the AMC Loews Dupont 5, will go the way of Visions and the Janus 3 before it and close its doors forever in January. We can certainly attest that the last few times we went to see a film......

>> CNN White House Correspondent Ed Henry spotted Dave Chappelle hanging out outside the White House this morning. He's reportedly feeling good despite his recent hospital visit, and joked about going after Tony Snow's job. [CNN Political Ticker] >> The former mayor of the town of Dumfries, VA has been charged with running a brothel out of a sports therapy clinic he owns in a Prince William County strip mall. Melvin Bray lost his......

Hope for a last minute hail mary. After the highs and lows of almost getting an installment of Live Earth in our town, then having Congress stomp all over it, Al Gore's figured things out in the final hour and is adding the District to the globe-crossing concert. Live Earth will take place tomorrow, from 9 locations around the world. The purpose of the massive undertaking is to raise worldwide awareness of climate change. Musical......

It's a slow week in jazz land because of the holiday, but there's still some great music happening. Happy 4th of July, everyone! >> Smooth jazz saxophonist Walter Beasley comes to Blues Alley for a four night stand, beginning this Thursday, with daily 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. sets. $35. >> This week's top pick is legendary drummer Andrew Cyrille (pictured), who brings a group to Twins Jazz this Friday and Saturday. This man has......

>> As we mentioned earlier in Reader, Meet Author, Vanity Fair editor Cullen Murphy will be at Politics and Prose tonight to read from and sign copies of Are We Rome? As long as we can ruled by Simon Woods, I'm all for saying, yes, please, let's be Rome. 7 p.m. >> Tickets are still available for tonight's performance of Leoš Janáček's Jenůfa at Washington National Opera. Our critic called this production WNO's "best......

Our friends over at the Associated Press have dug deep into a story that's weighing heavily on all of our minds today: Why is it that the National Air and Space Museum, once the proud champion of the Smithsonian's annual Awesomest Awards for Attendance, has fallen from favor with the museum-attending set. Air and Space's attendance fell below that of the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History for the first time in recent memory last......

Twas the week before Christmas, and all through the city, not a lot of authors are stirring. Give them a break! They have family and friends to see at this time of year, too! But if you have a mind to celebrate letters on the local level, head on out to the Warehouse tonight for a special Christmas edition of the F.W. Thomas Performances. Tonight’s edition features comic collagist Clarke Bedford, writer Molly Woods, songwriter......

By DCist Contributor Morgan Hungerford. DC is not a city of sample sales and trunk shows, so when we have one fashion-related event worthy of attendance it is Very Exciting; when we have two it is a Big Deal. And three? Well, you lucky, things, let’s just say you’d better take advantage. Tonight is the Third Thursday MidCity Shopper Social; shop the U Street Corridor and 14th Street for special deals at Junction. Wild Women......

We haven't featured an architecture photo in awhile, but Flickr user LaTur's night image of the National Museum of the American Indian. really fits the bill. The angle and the subtle green color brought out by the building's lights are quite flattering to the unusual curvature here. Check out LaTur's talent at capturing shadows in his recent photos from Stockholm. Find the EXIF data here.......

If you're looking for a change of pace and need an industry that is sure to remain in business for years to come, consider escalator repair. Taking after DeVry and ITT Tech, Metro has kicked off a $1.5 million training lab for escalator repair, writes the Post. The lab will train the next generation of escalator repairmen, who, as we all know from experience, will have no shortage of work anytime soon -- on......

Written by DCist contributor Lindsay Gibson. Just as we learn that tourists spent record dollars in the District last year, the Smithsonian Institution is lamenting a drop in attendance to their museums during the same time period. Apparently visitors willing to shell out cash are balking at the Capital's fine free attractions. Some buildings were closed during Deluge '06, but museum officials are primarily placing the blame on the series of crimes against tourists this......

Arguments over where to put new monuments on the National Mall have grown increasingly frequent and divisive as the front lawn has filled up. In 2003, Congress banned new construction on the Mall's cross-axis, beyond what had already been approved. In 2004, the National Museum of the American Indian and the World War II Memorial opened, and recently, a trapezoidal spot just northeast of the Washington Monument was chosen as the location for the National......

When we tried to learn more about the Smithsonian's new National Museum of African American History and Culture, we couldn't find much information about it. Sure, there's plenty of media and other mentions on the web and a bare-bones website, but the Smithsonian isn't sure quite where it will go, let alone precisely what exhibits will be on display. That's because the museum has only existed on paper for two years, and the Smithsonian selected......

>> Studio One Eight, a new alternative art space in Adams Morgan, opens its first a new show this week. Threesome: A Girl, a Guy, and a Gay features figure drawings and paintings by D.C. artists Dana Ellyn, Greg Ferrand and Scott G. Brooks. The artists' reception is Saturday night from 7 - 10 p.m.; miss that and you'll need an appointment to see the show. Ferrand's "Mortality recognized at breakfast" is shown at right.......

How are things going at the newly-opened National Museum of the American Indian? According to a PDF document posted to their site, the opening at least went very well. The museum reports over 92,300 visitors during the first week, and set a Smithsonian record for one-day sales at museum stores selling more than $1 million of merchandise at the museum's two stores. They described the Native Nations Procession, with over 25,000 Native American participants, as......

The opening of the new Museum of the American Indian was, by all accounts, a smoothly orchestrated and historic affair, with tens of thousands of Native Americans and other members of the public participating in a day-long opening celebration.......

The National Museum of the American Indian opens today. The Post reports thousands of Native Americans will participate in a week-long series of opening events. A procession and ceremony now underway which will continue until 1 p.m. is being broadcast on the web. The long-awaited opening, which completes the National Mall, is laden with historic significance. In an op-ed in the Post Sunday, museum director W. Richard West Jr. described the opening of the museum......

The National Mall is officially crowded. Now that the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian is set to open next week, all the usable space intended to be used for museums, monuments and other important national sites have been taken. The Post explores the politics of the National Mall in this morning's edition. Everybody wants a piece of it, but there's no room to spare. In fact, the chairman of the National Capital Planning......

As reported by DC Metro Action and Weirdcurves, Pueblo artist Roxanne Swentzell will have a show opening at the Provisions Library, located at 1611 Connecticut Ave. NW. Swentzell's sculpture will be featured in the theater of the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian, however Wierdcurves suggests we check out the Provisions Library exhibit because "many DCers may wait until the crowds lessen before we explore it." The NMAI opens in style with an array......