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Read All About It!

Jaime Joyce

Do you have a nose for news? If so, you'll want to visit the Newseum. It had a grand opening in its new home in Washington, D.C., on April 11. The seven-story museum blends the history of newsgathering with hands-on exhibits and the latest technology. The time-travel theater shows a 3-D movie about a historic news event. In the interactive newsroom, visitors can play the role of TV reporter.

The Newseum also has many cool artifacts, or historic objects. An armored truck that was used by TIME magazine photographers in a war zone is on display. A television news helicopter hangs from the ceiling. There are 35,000 newspaper front pages and eight sections of the Berlin Wall. The Wall divided East and West Germany for 18 years. When it was torn down in 1989, journalists from around the world covered the important event.

Why a News Museum?

"It's crucial that young people understand the importance of the First Amendment," Rich Foster, the museum's director of programs and education, told TFK. The First Amendment to the Constitution guarantees five freedoms for Americans. One is freedom of the press. "A free press is the cornerstone of democracy," Foster added.

Some countries do not allow a free press. In China, Cuba and Iran, for example, the government limits what journalists can report. Writers can be punished for investigating stories that the government doesn't like. Sometimes, journalists are sent to jail.

A Home in the Heart of the Nation's Capital

For nearly five years, the Newseum was in Virginia. But it closed in 2002. The new museum is smack in the heart of Washington. It is located between the White House and the Capitol Building.

More than 10,000 people visited the Newseum on opening day. Admission was free. Usually, admission is $20 for adults and $13 for children ages 7 through 12. School groups from the District of Columbia and nearby areas will get in free during the Newseum's first year. Now that's good news!

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