National Public Radio

Last week my husband and I went to NPR headquarters in downtown DC. As many of you know, he used to work at a radio station in San Antonio TX called KRTU 91.7. He was the Operations Manager and then later on the Station Manager before we moved to NYC. Because of his background and radio and our mutual love of NPR, this tour was particularly interesting.

On Tuesday mornings they give a public tour around 11am. You sign in on a computer by the front desk and get a printed nametag and wait with all the other NPR fans in the lobby. It seems to be a fairly relaxed work environment. People were coming in for their day around 10:45 and most people were dressed in a shirt and slacks or jeans. The only person we saw in a suit was Ari Shapiro and he covers the government so there you go! (He was also very handsome, the Anderson Cooper of radio)

Around 11 Alan our tour guide joined us and took us in and around the building. We saw most of the offices, a couple studios, heard a recording/interview of Dave Mathews that was being edited, met the technician for Morning Edition and were able to see the place that the "Tiny Desk" concerts are taped. We were even offered a seat at the concert that afternoon!

Unfortunately we had a lunch so we missed the concert taping but overall the tour was great- a must do on any vacation list for DC that includes intelligent adults. For Ry's view of the event check out his blog here.