Seeing a Muesum

All kinds of history, from any culture, that ranges from natural to technological to civilization people can learn from a book. But a book can only give a person only a part of a historical experience. By going to a museum the physical experience of the artifacts brings about a new outlook of a subject. Reading about an ancient Egyptian mummy being discovered in a book is magical. Yet, actually seeing a real mummy in a museum while walking around it, looking at the hieroglyphics decorating the sarcophagi and viewing the linen wrapped body brings about a better appreciation for the mummy. By viewing physical artifacts brings awe and admiration to the preservation of knowledge. This is a physical and visual reassurance of history to me.

Whenever I go to a museum I usually have an interest in one or more exhibits of which I have done research about or have learned about. Seeing those artifacts is like putting a face with a name but its experience the readings to physical artifacts. I get a feeling of amazement and satisfaction. That is what I experience whenever I visit a museum and see artifacts that I probably would never have a chance to see.

Not only do I enjoy my experience at a museum but I also like to people watch in a museum. To see how they react to something new or exciting like observing little kids with wide eyes who say ‘wow’ when they are told that an Egyptian mummy is over thousands of years old or hearing people exclaim “I never knew that”. That brings a smile to my face. Because not matter how much I already know I am still learning as does any visitor who decides to spend an afternoon visiting a museum.

Photo is a image from the Royal British Columbia Museum Exhibit Treasures : The Worlds Culture of the Britsih Museum. http://www.blogaholics.ca/wp/uploads/Coffin.jpg

The Spiral Jetty was made by artiest Robert Smithson in 1970 located in the Great Salt Lake of Utah. This earth art is a large spiral extending into the lake allowing visitors to admire this art whenever this lake water is high or low. Yet there is a debate on if the Spiral Jetty makes the Great Salt Lake a museum or not. I do not believe that the Great Salt Lake qualifies as a museum in which this piece of art is located at which is a public place.

A museum is a place which houses ordinary object to help explain to contemporary people the knowledge and truth of the world. The museums are buildings with the purpose of preservation of objects which is designed to engage the public in an informational manner about the objects and furthering the knowledge of the world. Museums are dedicated in the preservation of all objects from art, to clothing, to everyday tools from past civilizations around the world.

Unlike Great Salt Lake which is just a public space where an artist placed his work for the public people to enjoy and observe the natural course of his art. Yes there are people working on documenting and preservation of the Spiral Jetty but they are not a part of a museum. Yet the Spiral Jetty is just a piece of art that is not contributing to furthering the knowledge or truth of the world. As I have stated earlier the Great Salt Lake is not a museum it is a natural location where Robert Smithson placed he work.

~SLW