Ever since I was in grade school, I loved visiting the National Museum of American History in Washington, one of the many Smithsonian museums scattered across the city.

Since I was a homeschooled student who grew up within easy driving distance of Washington, visiting museums was a regular part of my education, to the point where I had the layout of most of the major Smithsonian museums just about memorized. I could spend hours, days even, wandering each one, but the war and transportation exhibits at the American History Museum have always been my favorite sites to visit.