Good morning, Washington. DCist heard from a tipster Thursday night that "several hundred" people were planning to converge on McPherson Square Saturday morning for a sister protest to New York’s "Occupy Wall Street." NBC Washington reports that at the height of participation Saturday, the group called "Occupy DC" amounted to about 40 to 50 people whose protests were often drowned out by a women’s percussion practice across the square. more ›

UPDATE (10:30 a.m.): The scene is all clear, and people are now being allowed back inside buildings in the area. more ›

Is the Newseum a financial drain? Yes, and it's an enormous one, according to this incredibly exhaustive post by Jim Hopkins, a former reporter and editor at USA Today who now runs the independent Gannett Blog. more ›

When TV mega star Oprah Winfrey isn't dishing with Rielle Hunter on the private lives of former presidential candidates, she has something else on her mind: text messaging. more ›

The D.C. season of began filming today, and rumors are flying around the city like Hung Huynh with a hot pan through a crowded kitchen. DCist foodie Alicia Mazzara spied people in white coats on the roof of the Newseum, where unconfirmed reports place today's Top Chef taping. She passes along this photo as evidence, and she and others saw several passenger vans and rental trucks parked outside the Newseum. What do you bet Wolfgang Puck is serving as a guest judge? more ›

Slated to open on September 11, 2011, construction on the National September 11 Memorial & Museum on the grounds of the World Trade Center is currently underway. Residents in the District have an opportunity to contribute to the construction in an early christening event: a steal beam–signing ceremony. more ›

This week, we have discussions about the Roman Empire, Lincoln, Nazis and blogging, as well as a handful of lectures on contemporary art. more ›

DCist's guide to lectures and discussions in the D.C. area more ›

When the Newseum opened this summer, some commentators reminded us that museums are places to house the archaic, outdated, and the useless—what a perfect place for print media! more ›

DCist's guide to lectures and panel discussions in the D.C. area more ›

Remember the Unabomber and that itty-bitty shack he holed himself up in? Well, they're in the news again. more ›

>> Recently opened on July 18 and running through January 3 is Dig It! The Secrets of Soil at the Natural History Museum. The exhibit covers a massive 5,000 square feet with interactive learning activities which explore fungi, bacteria, worms, and other organisms often hidden from view. Check the website for a wealth of related learning materials for the kiddies. more ›

Just like its subject — the news — the Newseum, which opens tomorrow, includes far more information than the average museum-goer can handle. It would take days (there are 24 hours of documentary footage alone) to see everything on display in the 250,000-square-foot museum, and with a $20 admission charge, a visit to the Newseum should be a full-day’s outing. Opening day, however, is free of charge, so you might want to head down even for just a long lunch hour to check out the new site tomorrow. more ›