The Plaza @ The National Museum Of The American Indian

Viewed from the lawn of the National Gardens at the foot of the National Botanical Gardens Conservatory, the National Museum of the American Indian is a stand out structure perfectly suited as a neighbor to a place dedicated to recreating a natural setting.

Absolutely one of the most organic buildings on the planet, it possesses a natural form that eludes the works of other masters of the genre like Antonio Gaudi and Frank Gehry. It most imposing feature is the overhang of the plaza on its eastern facade.

Standing under it at the main entrance, the view is one that would deceive the viewer. Can we really be steps away from the Capitol of the United States? It's so convincing that a pair of mallards were hanging out with the other tourists--fool Mother Nature and you've got bragging rights!

Look to the utter left corner of this image. That's the vantage point from which I took the final two photos.

This one I took by pivoting 90˚ to my left from a full on view back at the museum.

Here I have returned 90˚ to the right to face the museum again.