This week's Share Spotlight comes from the British Museum's blog.
Viking women, warriors, and valkyries
The British Museum opened an exhibition on Vikings last month, called Vikings: life and legend. Their blog post this weeks covers a little discusses aspect of the Vikings: their women. Viking women certainly were a more diverse group than most of their continental counterparts. However, the idea of warrior women among the Vikings is something Jesch, the author of this post flatly denies.
So, how to explain the Valkyries? Jesch contends that they are simply "creatures of fantasy rooted in the experience of male warriors." The Valkyries certainly wouldn't be the first. Athena in Greek mythology would be a similar figure.
What do think? Can such a pervasive mythological figure exist without a real life model? How do you think that such figures are created?
Showing posts with label Museums. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Museums. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Share Spotlight: Understanding Ukraine
This week's Share Spotlight comes from the Vlogbrothers.
Understanding Ukraine: The Problems Today and Some Historical Context
The conflict between Ukraine and Russia keeps rolling on. Frankly, I've lost track of what's actually happening. But here's John Green, author and all around amazing person to give you a quick summation of the background of the conflict in Ukraine.
And, as a bonus, here's Mid-Revolution: Ukrainian Museum Updates from The Uncataloged Museum, which is from a month or so back and talks about the particular challenges of being a museum on the front lines of a revolution.
What do you think of everything that's been going on? Have you been keeping track? What do you think the best outcome is at this point?
Understanding Ukraine: The Problems Today and Some Historical Context
The conflict between Ukraine and Russia keeps rolling on. Frankly, I've lost track of what's actually happening. But here's John Green, author and all around amazing person to give you a quick summation of the background of the conflict in Ukraine.
And, as a bonus, here's Mid-Revolution: Ukrainian Museum Updates from The Uncataloged Museum, which is from a month or so back and talks about the particular challenges of being a museum on the front lines of a revolution.
What do you think of everything that's been going on? Have you been keeping track? What do you think the best outcome is at this point?
Friday, March 7, 2014
The Monuments Men
The recent movie The Monuments Men is based on an epic true story about men and women who saved the soul of Europe.
Being a museum studies graduate student, of course I had to go see the new movie The Monuments Men. The movie is an interesting historical drama, though not an action movie, like the previews would have you think. While the movie is well worth the watch, they did take a number of liberties with the actual story. Here's the story of the true Monuments Men and the many people who supported them.
From the beginning of WWII, the American Council of Learned Societies and the Harvard Group called for the US military to protect and preserve the cultural heritage of Europe. Hitler was systematically looting art from the great museums and collectors of Europe in preparation to stock his own personal museum and the US army destroyed important buildings while invading Europe. However, it wasn't until 1943 that the efforts of these groups finally bore fruit.
The Monuments Men started with a group called whose official name was the American Commission for the Protection and Salvage of Artistic and Historic Monuments in War Areas, but was more commonly referred to as the Roberts Commission, after its chairman, Supreme Court Justice Owen Roberts. Proposed by Francis Henry Taylor, the director of the Museum of Modern Art, the group was created in 1943 to advise military actions in order to best protect and preserve national treasures during World War II, provided they did not interfere with military operations. They created the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives section, for which 345 men and women volunteered, coming from the United States, Britain, France, Austria, and Belgium.
These men and women were primarily middle-aged; some were even WWI veterans. They were professors, museum curators, archivists, and librarians. Together, they saved an estimated 5 million art pieces and cultural objects.
These artworks included numerous masters, such as the Ghent Altarpiece and Michaelangelo's Madonna, both featured in the movie.
After the war, a smaller contingent of Monuments Men continued to hunt down stolen art. Many of the members of the MFAA returned or went on to prominent jobs in cultural institutions. They are responsible for the foundation of the New York City Ballet, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Despite their incredible efforts, a number of other artworks remain missing. And, due to Hitler's "Nero Decree," stating that all evidence that could be used in a war crimes trial be destroyed, many may never be recovered.
The story of the Monuments Men was rediscovered in 1995 and in 2009, Robert Edsel wrote his book The Monuments Men and started the Monuments Men Foundation for the Preservation of Art. He and the foundation aim to acknowledge the work of these incredible men and women, continue their quest to return stolen artworks, and attempt to return the preservation of cultural heritage to the consciousness of the American military.
In 2007, the Monuments Men Foundation was awarded the National Humanities Award by President George W. Bush. You can go to their website to learn more about the Monuments Men and assist in the effort to recover and repatriate stolen goods.
Being a museum studies graduate student, of course I had to go see the new movie The Monuments Men. The movie is an interesting historical drama, though not an action movie, like the previews would have you think. While the movie is well worth the watch, they did take a number of liberties with the actual story. Here's the story of the true Monuments Men and the many people who supported them.
From the beginning of WWII, the American Council of Learned Societies and the Harvard Group called for the US military to protect and preserve the cultural heritage of Europe. Hitler was systematically looting art from the great museums and collectors of Europe in preparation to stock his own personal museum and the US army destroyed important buildings while invading Europe. However, it wasn't until 1943 that the efforts of these groups finally bore fruit.
The Monuments Men started with a group called whose official name was the American Commission for the Protection and Salvage of Artistic and Historic Monuments in War Areas, but was more commonly referred to as the Roberts Commission, after its chairman, Supreme Court Justice Owen Roberts. Proposed by Francis Henry Taylor, the director of the Museum of Modern Art, the group was created in 1943 to advise military actions in order to best protect and preserve national treasures during World War II, provided they did not interfere with military operations. They created the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives section, for which 345 men and women volunteered, coming from the United States, Britain, France, Austria, and Belgium.
These men and women were primarily middle-aged; some were even WWI veterans. They were professors, museum curators, archivists, and librarians. Together, they saved an estimated 5 million art pieces and cultural objects.
 |
| Some of the Monuments Men at the Altuasee Salt Mine in 1945. (Wikimedia) |
These artworks included numerous masters, such as the Ghent Altarpiece and Michaelangelo's Madonna, both featured in the movie.
 |
| The Monuments Men recovering the Ghent Altarpiece at Altusee. (Wikimedia) |
After the war, a smaller contingent of Monuments Men continued to hunt down stolen art. Many of the members of the MFAA returned or went on to prominent jobs in cultural institutions. They are responsible for the foundation of the New York City Ballet, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Despite their incredible efforts, a number of other artworks remain missing. And, due to Hitler's "Nero Decree," stating that all evidence that could be used in a war crimes trial be destroyed, many may never be recovered.
The story of the Monuments Men was rediscovered in 1995 and in 2009, Robert Edsel wrote his book The Monuments Men and started the Monuments Men Foundation for the Preservation of Art. He and the foundation aim to acknowledge the work of these incredible men and women, continue their quest to return stolen artworks, and attempt to return the preservation of cultural heritage to the consciousness of the American military.
 |
| President George W. Bush presents the 2007 National Humanities Medal for the Monuments Men Foundation for the Preservation of Art to, from left, Robert Edsel and World War II veterans Jim Reeds, Harry Ettlinger, Horace Apgar and Seymore Pomrenze. (Wikimedia) |
In 2007, the Monuments Men Foundation was awarded the National Humanities Award by President George W. Bush. You can go to their website to learn more about the Monuments Men and assist in the effort to recover and repatriate stolen goods.
Friday, February 28, 2014
Piasa
A fearsome being from the cosmology of the ancient Mississpians, the Underwater Panther ruled the watery Underworld.
I'm volunteering with a museum here in town, putting together an exhibition on Native Americans and their connection to animals. I've been writing a lot of labels, but one of my favorite cases has to do with the Underwater Panther.
Also called the Piasa and Mishipeshu, the Underwater Panther is the ruler of the Underwater realm. To back up a couple of steps, many of the Eastern Woodlands Native Americans believed in a world with four corners that rested on top of a watery realm (the underworld) which then rotated up to form the night sky. Or, in another version, the world was made on a Turtle's back, with creatures diving through the watery Underworld to bring up the dirt necessary to make the land.
The Underwater Panther was described as having the head and body of a cat, perhaps a mountain lion or lynx, the horns of a deer, and the tail of snake. One image of the Underwater Panther was described by Father Jacques Marquette, a French explorer on his travels on the Mississippi River.
The Underwater Panther uses his tail to whip up whirlpools, and he was said to appear in places where whirlpools occurred. He could be very dangerous, often drowning those who got too close, but for those bold enough to seek him out, he could also give great rewards of power, knowledge, and strength.
The image of the Underwater Panther, particularly his tail, appears all over Eastern Native American imagery.
The red and white swirl indicate the whirlpool the Underwater Panther creates and allow the artist to distinguish the creature without having to actually depict a long tail, something a bit difficult to do in ceramics.
The tail was also said to be made of copper, a valuable material, particularly in Mississippian times. Many copper items have been found across Eastern North America in shape of spirals, echoing the whirlpool made by the creature from which they came.
Unlike many European cosmologies, the Underworld is not evil, and neither is the Underwater Panther. Powerful spirits, whether they be from the Underworld or the Aboveworld, were dangerous if approached inappropriately. The Underwater Panther is simply a powerful being, one who could use his powers to reward the bold or punish the proud.
I'm volunteering with a museum here in town, putting together an exhibition on Native Americans and their connection to animals. I've been writing a lot of labels, but one of my favorite cases has to do with the Underwater Panther.
Also called the Piasa and Mishipeshu, the Underwater Panther is the ruler of the Underwater realm. To back up a couple of steps, many of the Eastern Woodlands Native Americans believed in a world with four corners that rested on top of a watery realm (the underworld) which then rotated up to form the night sky. Or, in another version, the world was made on a Turtle's back, with creatures diving through the watery Underworld to bring up the dirt necessary to make the land.
The Underwater Panther was described as having the head and body of a cat, perhaps a mountain lion or lynx, the horns of a deer, and the tail of snake. One image of the Underwater Panther was described by Father Jacques Marquette, a French explorer on his travels on the Mississippi River.
 | ||
| Drawing based on Father Marquette's description of the Underwater Panther. |
The Underwater Panther uses his tail to whip up whirlpools, and he was said to appear in places where whirlpools occurred. He could be very dangerous, often drowning those who got too close, but for those bold enough to seek him out, he could also give great rewards of power, knowledge, and strength.
The image of the Underwater Panther, particularly his tail, appears all over Eastern Native American imagery.
 |
| Piasa pot in the National Museum of the American Indian. (Wikimedia) |
The red and white swirl indicate the whirlpool the Underwater Panther creates and allow the artist to distinguish the creature without having to actually depict a long tail, something a bit difficult to do in ceramics.
The tail was also said to be made of copper, a valuable material, particularly in Mississippian times. Many copper items have been found across Eastern North America in shape of spirals, echoing the whirlpool made by the creature from which they came.
Unlike many European cosmologies, the Underworld is not evil, and neither is the Underwater Panther. Powerful spirits, whether they be from the Underworld or the Aboveworld, were dangerous if approached inappropriately. The Underwater Panther is simply a powerful being, one who could use his powers to reward the bold or punish the proud.
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Share Spotlight: What Price Nonprofit?
This week's Share Spotlight comes from the Center for the Future of Museums blog.
What Price Nonprofit?
The Center for the Future of Museums asks an important question: At what point should nonprofits lose their tax exempt status? In other words, at what point do nonprofits stop being not for profit? In a world where nonprofits are increasingly competing with for profit institutions, where do we draw the line?
Museums have generally been pretty far from this issue, but they are competing with every other entertainment business out there. They either have to strengthen their assertion that they are in fact necessary and worthy of all the tax dollars needed to keep them going or start seriously competing in the world of for profit entertainment and education institutions.
Each museum may need to make its own decision in this matter, but which way should the field go? How might a museum go about implementing either of these options?
What Price Nonprofit?
The Center for the Future of Museums asks an important question: At what point should nonprofits lose their tax exempt status? In other words, at what point do nonprofits stop being not for profit? In a world where nonprofits are increasingly competing with for profit institutions, where do we draw the line?
Museums have generally been pretty far from this issue, but they are competing with every other entertainment business out there. They either have to strengthen their assertion that they are in fact necessary and worthy of all the tax dollars needed to keep them going or start seriously competing in the world of for profit entertainment and education institutions.
Each museum may need to make its own decision in this matter, but which way should the field go? How might a museum go about implementing either of these options?
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Share Spotlight: The Sweetest Story
This week's Share Spotlight comes from the Houston Museum of Natural History's blog, BeyondBones.
The Sweetest Story: Learn about the chocolate revolution at an HMNS Distinguished Lecture
Chocolate is, let's face it, awesome. And it has a pretty awesome history, too, as is succinctly expressed in this BeyondBones post. From the Olmec, to the Maya, to the Aztec, to the English drawing room, Chocolate has long been the drink of kings.
So next time you pour yourself a cup of chocolate, don't forget to feel regal!
Do you know any other foodstuffs with interesting histories? Want me to feature one on the blog? Just want to show off your knowledge? Drop me a comment!
The Sweetest Story: Learn about the chocolate revolution at an HMNS Distinguished Lecture
Chocolate is, let's face it, awesome. And it has a pretty awesome history, too, as is succinctly expressed in this BeyondBones post. From the Olmec, to the Maya, to the Aztec, to the English drawing room, Chocolate has long been the drink of kings.
So next time you pour yourself a cup of chocolate, don't forget to feel regal!
Do you know any other foodstuffs with interesting histories? Want me to feature one on the blog? Just want to show off your knowledge? Drop me a comment!
Friday, December 27, 2013
Protests in Ukraine
Protests have gone on in Kiev for the last month, hoping to reverse the government's decision to move away from the EU.
I don't know if you've heard, but there have been massive protests in Ukraine's capital city, Kiev. After moving toward friendlier relations with the European Union, Ukraine's president, Viktor Yanukovych, announced in late November that Ukraine would not sign the agreement with the EU. Protests began almost immediately.
Called Euromaidan, protesters have taken up residence in Independence Square, calling for the resignation of the President and generally decrying the corruption of the government. Riot police made an attempt on November 30 to remove the protesters, but the resulting violence only strengthened national and international support for the protestors.
The protestors have blockaded Independence Square and two rallies have gathered over 200,000 protesters. The protests have been going strong for over a month now and have garnered support from many of the countries of the EU, the US, and numerous organizations in Ukraine, including some state run museums.
Have you heard about these protests? What do you think should happen next?
For some more information, check out:
Q&A: Stand-off in Ukraine over EU Agreement from BBC News
"Our History Museums will Include the Events of These Days" from The Uncataloged Museum
I don't know if you've heard, but there have been massive protests in Ukraine's capital city, Kiev. After moving toward friendlier relations with the European Union, Ukraine's president, Viktor Yanukovych, announced in late November that Ukraine would not sign the agreement with the EU. Protests began almost immediately.
Called Euromaidan, protesters have taken up residence in Independence Square, calling for the resignation of the President and generally decrying the corruption of the government. Riot police made an attempt on November 30 to remove the protesters, but the resulting violence only strengthened national and international support for the protestors.
The protestors have blockaded Independence Square and two rallies have gathered over 200,000 protesters. The protests have been going strong for over a month now and have garnered support from many of the countries of the EU, the US, and numerous organizations in Ukraine, including some state run museums.
Have you heard about these protests? What do you think should happen next?
For some more information, check out:
Q&A: Stand-off in Ukraine over EU Agreement from BBC News
"Our History Museums will Include the Events of These Days" from The Uncataloged Museum
Friday, December 13, 2013
Imagine What You'll Know Tomorrow
I'm swamped with end of semester work, so this week, y'all get a post about... my homework.
Today, my 12 to 14 page paper is due. It's the last major project of the semester and, Praise be to God, it's written. I still need to edit it before four o'clock, but at least I have something to turn in.
This paper has been a long and bumpy road for me. I have an anthropology background and I'm writing for a history professor. I've learned that we don't always think the same way and communication has been a consistent problem (seems to be a theme this semester, in fact).
There are some good things, though. I love my topic.
I'm writing on how archaeologists (and historians, and museums) look at how people got to the Americas. That theory you learned in school? That people walked across the Beringia Land Bridge roughly 14,000 years ago and then came down the ice free corridor into lower North American and eventually all the way to Tierra del Fuego?
Yeah, it's wrong.
Turns out people have been in the Americas for a lot longer than that and the archeological community can no longer deny the mounting evidence.
But what's really fascinating is what's happening now. The Beringia theory has been around for more than fifty years with virtually no opposition. That means that archaeologists are working almost from scratch to create new theories and widening their net to collect new evidence. It's the scientific theory in progress!
Sorry, minor geek out there. I find it fascinating.
If you want to learn about these new theories, I would suggest 1491 by Charles C. Mann for a good general Pre-Columbian history of the Americas. Mann is a personable writer that has pretty much made his living interpreting science history for the public.
If you are a little braver, try Across Atlantic Ice by Dennis Stanford and Bruce Bradley. It's a good bit more technical, though they do attempt to explain their terms, and really meant for archaeology students. However, their theory is fascinating and well worth the investigation.
Find any other neat books or theories? Let me know!
"Fifteen hundred years ago everybody knew the Earth was the center of the universe. Five hundred years ago, everybody knew the Earth was flat, and fifteen minutes ago, you knew that humans were alone on this planet. Imagine what you'll know tomorrow." --Kay, Men in Black
Today, my 12 to 14 page paper is due. It's the last major project of the semester and, Praise be to God, it's written. I still need to edit it before four o'clock, but at least I have something to turn in.
This paper has been a long and bumpy road for me. I have an anthropology background and I'm writing for a history professor. I've learned that we don't always think the same way and communication has been a consistent problem (seems to be a theme this semester, in fact).
There are some good things, though. I love my topic.
I'm writing on how archaeologists (and historians, and museums) look at how people got to the Americas. That theory you learned in school? That people walked across the Beringia Land Bridge roughly 14,000 years ago and then came down the ice free corridor into lower North American and eventually all the way to Tierra del Fuego?
Yeah, it's wrong.
Turns out people have been in the Americas for a lot longer than that and the archeological community can no longer deny the mounting evidence.
But what's really fascinating is what's happening now. The Beringia theory has been around for more than fifty years with virtually no opposition. That means that archaeologists are working almost from scratch to create new theories and widening their net to collect new evidence. It's the scientific theory in progress!
Sorry, minor geek out there. I find it fascinating.
If you want to learn about these new theories, I would suggest 1491 by Charles C. Mann for a good general Pre-Columbian history of the Americas. Mann is a personable writer that has pretty much made his living interpreting science history for the public.
If you are a little braver, try Across Atlantic Ice by Dennis Stanford and Bruce Bradley. It's a good bit more technical, though they do attempt to explain their terms, and really meant for archaeology students. However, their theory is fascinating and well worth the investigation.
Find any other neat books or theories? Let me know!
"Fifteen hundred years ago everybody knew the Earth was the center of the universe. Five hundred years ago, everybody knew the Earth was flat, and fifteen minutes ago, you knew that humans were alone on this planet. Imagine what you'll know tomorrow." --Kay, Men in Black
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Share Spotlight: Museum Marathon
This week's share spotlight comes from a UK blog, Mad Cap Science:
Museum Marathon....16 Miles, 26 Museums and One Suffragette
On December 7th, a group of intrepid individuals participated in a Museum Marathon in London. They ran/walked 16 miles and visited 26 (or 27) museums over the course of a day to raise money for guide dogs.
I love this event on two levels.
First, it's a charity event, much like other marathons are. They allow people to give their time to help a great cause.
Second, what a great way to introduce people to new museums! Only been to the Science Museum? Come in and try the Natural History Museum! Love the V&A? Check out the Sir John Soane's Museum!
Where can you see this working in the US? I think New York City is a great candidate, but where else might people be able to take a whirlwind tour of the city museums?
Museum Marathon....16 Miles, 26 Museums and One Suffragette
On December 7th, a group of intrepid individuals participated in a Museum Marathon in London. They ran/walked 16 miles and visited 26 (or 27) museums over the course of a day to raise money for guide dogs.
I love this event on two levels.
First, it's a charity event, much like other marathons are. They allow people to give their time to help a great cause.
Second, what a great way to introduce people to new museums! Only been to the Science Museum? Come in and try the Natural History Museum! Love the V&A? Check out the Sir John Soane's Museum!
Where can you see this working in the US? I think New York City is a great candidate, but where else might people be able to take a whirlwind tour of the city museums?
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Share Spotlight: Accessibility to Inclusion: The Next Step
This week's Share Spotlight comes from Museum Matters, the official blog of my Intro to Museums class:
This week's topic in my Intro to Museum Studies class was inclusion: how do we make sure everyone can enjoy our museum?
It's an important question.
Inclusion can mean a lot of different things because it can refer to a number of different groups. If you want to include an ethnic group, you'll do different things than if you want to include a group of people who are sight-impaired.
But whatever you do, it's important that it's sustainable. A special exhibit smacks of tokenism. While it may draw visitors in once, is it really likely to keep them coming back?
Do you have any suggestions? What programs or infrastructure do different groups need to feel comfortable in a museum? What have other fields done to promote inclusion?
Friday, November 22, 2013
The Holocaust Memorial Museum: Some Connection Required
After a visit to the
Holocaust Memorial Museum, I came out feeling that I was missing something
essential: a human connection.
A few weeks ago, I went to DC on a field trip for my
Master’s program. One of the focal points of the trip was the Holocaust
Memorial Museum. We had spent one class talking about articles and books about
the museum and learning its history so that we would be prepared to study the museum
as museum professionals. Quite frankly, I was not looking forward to this part
of our trip to begin with, and the reading did not make me any more optimistic.
I am sorry to say that my expectations were realized.
Perhaps one of the problems was the crowds. We got there
about ten minutes before the museum opened and there was already a line halfway
around the block. Add the school groups to the tourists, and the crowds grew to
the point of claustrophobia. This was only exacerbated by the way the museum
was designed. The first exhibit space is a long narrow hallway with exhibits on
both sides. It created a bottleneck and endless frustration as people stopped
to look at exhibits and held up everyone behind them. Maybe I would have had a
different experience if I had gone on a day with fewer people, and, if you go, I
encourage you to find an off day.
But even the removal of the crowds could not have fixed what
I found to be the fundamental problem with the museum: a lack of humanity.
For a museum completely about a people’s erasure of
identity, it did a very poor job establishing that identity in the first place.
Visitors are taken up an elevator and dumped into Hitler’s rise to power. There
is no celebration of Jewish life before the war, no way to connect to these
people as people. Without that visceral
connection to the victims of the Holocaust, the museum becomes a horror show,
or, if you can get past the horrors, a history lesson.
There were only three places in the entire museum that I
felt something like that connection. The first was the Tower of Faces,
photographs from the Eishishok Shetl (the name for a Jewish village). The
exhibit lines a three story tower, looking like an album plastered to the
walls, and ends with a startling message: Today, there are no Jews in
Eishishok.
The second place was on the two glass bridges over the main
hall. The first is etched with the first names of people who died in the
Holocaust while the second is etched with the names of villages that were
destroyed by the Holocaust. These are easy to connect to: “That could be my
name up there,” or maybe “My name is up
there” and “That could be my town on this wall.”
Finally, the Identity Cards. Visitors receive a card when
they enter the museum, picking from piles sorted into Male and Female. It tells
the story of the person in the card as you move through the museum. The cards
are often criticized because they wind up in the trash as soon as the visitor
leaves the museum, but for me, the card was where I connected most; I spent
most of my time in the museum wondering if the person whose life I held in my
hand had survived and her presence became a constant companion through the
museum.
If you get the chance, go to the Holocaust Memorial Museum.
Everyone should go once. But bring the personal connections with you. Learn
about these people before you go. Maybe then, you won’t get wrapped up in the
horrors, but rather the loss—of people, of culture, of serenity. And then you
can walk out of the museum feeling the truth of their motto: Never Again.
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Share Spotlight: Do You Ever Feel Like Wonder Woman?
From When You Work At a Museum:
The opening reception for the new exhibition starts in 10 minutes, you’re wearing a dress and high heels, and you have to climb a 16 ft. ladder to rehang an installation. What do you do?
As an "emerging museum professional" (at least that's what they called me at the conference I went to a few weeks ago) I am still learning the ins and outs of the field. For me, one of the big ones has been professional dress. In Texas, nice blue jeans and a pretty blouse are considered "business casual." Not so in New York (or anywhere else, for that matter), and so I have to sympathize with the occasional absurdity of women's fancy wear.
But! Every once in a while, you do get to feel like Wonder Woman.
I am distinctly reminded of a quote I once saw:
"Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, except backwards and in high heels."
What do you think? When have you felt like Wonder Woman lately?
Bonus points if the story involves fancy dress. :)
The opening reception for the new exhibition starts in 10 minutes, you’re wearing a dress and high heels, and you have to climb a 16 ft. ladder to rehang an installation. What do you do?
As an "emerging museum professional" (at least that's what they called me at the conference I went to a few weeks ago) I am still learning the ins and outs of the field. For me, one of the big ones has been professional dress. In Texas, nice blue jeans and a pretty blouse are considered "business casual." Not so in New York (or anywhere else, for that matter), and so I have to sympathize with the occasional absurdity of women's fancy wear.
But! Every once in a while, you do get to feel like Wonder Woman.
I am distinctly reminded of a quote I once saw:
"Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, except backwards and in high heels."
What do you think? When have you felt like Wonder Woman lately?
Bonus points if the story involves fancy dress. :)
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Share Spotlight: Surprised in Rome: Bravo Palazzo Massimo!
I've really gotten interested in blogs recently and currently follow 17 blogs of various types, from fashion and lifestyle to Catholic to comics to museums to Spanish language. I've got some wide interests. :) But I thought that it would be neat if I picked a post each week to highlight. I'll start with a link to the blog post, then tell you what I think of it.
This week's share spotlight comes from The Uncataloged Museum.
Surprised in Rome: Bravo Palazzo Massimo!
I love museums (obviously, I'm in a Museum Studies Program) and I love to travel, but the two don't always come together as often as I'd like. This post was a vicarious way for me to travel to Italy, but was also a bit more than that.
As a budding museum professional, how a museum is presented to the public is incredibly important. As museums have shifted to an educational focus, the public becomes the primary audience, and if they aren't getting anything out of the museum, the museum isn't doing its job.
Imagine my surprise to read that Italy, the Mecca for art museum lovers, was so poorly interpreted! But Linda Norris, the author of The Uncataloged Museum blog, has found a gem. Palazzo Massimo sounds like a wonderful visit, whether you are a museum professional or not.
What do you think? If you've been abroad, how do foreign museums differ from American museums in interpretation? What about museums in the US? What museum have you been to that struck you as a gem?
This week's share spotlight comes from The Uncataloged Museum.
Surprised in Rome: Bravo Palazzo Massimo!
I love museums (obviously, I'm in a Museum Studies Program) and I love to travel, but the two don't always come together as often as I'd like. This post was a vicarious way for me to travel to Italy, but was also a bit more than that.
As a budding museum professional, how a museum is presented to the public is incredibly important. As museums have shifted to an educational focus, the public becomes the primary audience, and if they aren't getting anything out of the museum, the museum isn't doing its job.
Imagine my surprise to read that Italy, the Mecca for art museum lovers, was so poorly interpreted! But Linda Norris, the author of The Uncataloged Museum blog, has found a gem. Palazzo Massimo sounds like a wonderful visit, whether you are a museum professional or not.
What do you think? If you've been abroad, how do foreign museums differ from American museums in interpretation? What about museums in the US? What museum have you been to that struck you as a gem?
Monday, August 1, 2011
Essay and Break
Well, Saturday was spent in a marathon on my independent study essay. I started at about 10:30 AM, and besides a long break for lunch and a shorter break for dinner, I worked on my essay straight through to midnight. However, I did not finish it, though I did finish the notes for the historical dates.
Sunday I went to class, went to church, went back to my room to work on my essay some more. I got all my notes typed up and went to print it out so I could edit it more easily. At this point it was 16 pages, but with the longer paper here and double sided, I got it on 7. However, this began an adventure as the computer lab near the House did not have paper in the printer. So I had to go all the way down to Augustine House where I did manage to get it printed. I then folded it up and put it in my purse and went in search of lunch, as it was now getting close to two. I was trying to find a shop that I'd seen, but I found a guy with hamburgers first. I have discovered that I rather like onions on my hamburgers. :) Just because, I went into two of the little bookstores on High street, and lo and behold, I found the first two Harry Potter books! I'm only missing the fifth one now, and I'm okay with buying that from a chain store if I have to.
Then back to my room, but it had turned into such a beautiful day that I changed into shorts (!) and grabbed my towel and laid out in the courtyard to edit my paper. Three hours later I'd gone through it twice and managed to make it a bit smaller. I'd also managed to get the top of the back of my thighs sunburned. Yep. I got sunburned in England. That my friends, takes dedication.
Today I returned to London, for the final time (unless something weird happens) to visit two museums. I finished up the Natural History Museum in morning. I got to see lots of rocks and fossils, but I also went to the Sexual Nature exhibition (I got you a postcard, Mom). The exhibit was actually fairly tasteful, except for the random videos that made me feel like I was back in freshman health class.
I then headed over to the National Gallery. It sits facing Trafalgar Square, and the scaffolding was down, so people were everywhere. There were lots of street performers. There was a dude playing the bagpipes, a Charlie Chaplin, a gold statue man and some acrobats.
I can now say that I have seen a Degas, a Da Vinci, a Raphael, and a Van Gogh in person. It was so amazing. I'd wind up standing there just looking at some of this stuff thinking that these were actually painted by some of the best there ever were. I love Degas, Van Gogh, and Renoir and they had a bunch of their paintings. It was so cool to see them in person.
After wandering through the museum I went out front to take some pictures of the Nelson Column and the lions around the bottom. Then I headed back to Charing Cross station where I just missed a train to Canterbury. I wandered around the area for a little while then got on the next train. I was standing at the platform when it pulled up, which was a good thing because there had been fire or something on one of the lines so lots of people were being forced to take that train to get to somewhere to swtich. The train was packed. I actually fell asleep on the train for a while, but I made it back to Canterbury. I've now made and eaten dinner and semi planned my trip to Bath tomorrow. I just have to look at trains. I'm going to go early and get back late.
I'm now going back to working on my essay. I want it done! I figure I can sleep on the train to Bath and I can sleep all day Wednesday if I like. :)
Sunday I went to class, went to church, went back to my room to work on my essay some more. I got all my notes typed up and went to print it out so I could edit it more easily. At this point it was 16 pages, but with the longer paper here and double sided, I got it on 7. However, this began an adventure as the computer lab near the House did not have paper in the printer. So I had to go all the way down to Augustine House where I did manage to get it printed. I then folded it up and put it in my purse and went in search of lunch, as it was now getting close to two. I was trying to find a shop that I'd seen, but I found a guy with hamburgers first. I have discovered that I rather like onions on my hamburgers. :) Just because, I went into two of the little bookstores on High street, and lo and behold, I found the first two Harry Potter books! I'm only missing the fifth one now, and I'm okay with buying that from a chain store if I have to.
Then back to my room, but it had turned into such a beautiful day that I changed into shorts (!) and grabbed my towel and laid out in the courtyard to edit my paper. Three hours later I'd gone through it twice and managed to make it a bit smaller. I'd also managed to get the top of the back of my thighs sunburned. Yep. I got sunburned in England. That my friends, takes dedication.
Today I returned to London, for the final time (unless something weird happens) to visit two museums. I finished up the Natural History Museum in morning. I got to see lots of rocks and fossils, but I also went to the Sexual Nature exhibition (I got you a postcard, Mom). The exhibit was actually fairly tasteful, except for the random videos that made me feel like I was back in freshman health class.
I then headed over to the National Gallery. It sits facing Trafalgar Square, and the scaffolding was down, so people were everywhere. There were lots of street performers. There was a dude playing the bagpipes, a Charlie Chaplin, a gold statue man and some acrobats.
I can now say that I have seen a Degas, a Da Vinci, a Raphael, and a Van Gogh in person. It was so amazing. I'd wind up standing there just looking at some of this stuff thinking that these were actually painted by some of the best there ever were. I love Degas, Van Gogh, and Renoir and they had a bunch of their paintings. It was so cool to see them in person.
After wandering through the museum I went out front to take some pictures of the Nelson Column and the lions around the bottom. Then I headed back to Charing Cross station where I just missed a train to Canterbury. I wandered around the area for a little while then got on the next train. I was standing at the platform when it pulled up, which was a good thing because there had been fire or something on one of the lines so lots of people were being forced to take that train to get to somewhere to swtich. The train was packed. I actually fell asleep on the train for a while, but I made it back to Canterbury. I've now made and eaten dinner and semi planned my trip to Bath tomorrow. I just have to look at trains. I'm going to go early and get back late.
I'm now going back to working on my essay. I want it done! I figure I can sleep on the train to Bath and I can sleep all day Wednesday if I like. :)
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Birthday at the British Museum
Word to the wise: Do NOT try to do the British Museum in one day. It was amazing, but my feet hurt. A lot. And there's way to much to see to pay attention to half of it when you're trying to pack everything in. But it was still awesome. Kiki (one of the girls in the program, who was actually supposed to be my roomate, before we got lucky and both got singles) came with me and I'm glad she did. Museums are more fun with somebody, so long as they know how to be about a musuem. Kiki was a lot of fun. She even let me look around the bookstore. :) I didn't get anything, but not for lack of looking. While both of the Egypt halls were packed with people all day, the rest of the halls were reasonable and we could look around at our own pace.
I had two favorite galleries. The first was the gallery that was themed 'Enlightenment'. It was almost a history of the museum! But is was really how scientific thought developed through the early 1800's. The room was set up like a giant study, with floor to ceiling bookshelves filled with books and stuff! And the stuff was so cool I forgot to look at the books. They had a Rosetta Stone that you could touch. Which was good, because I think I elbowed people so I could just see the real one. They had a bunch of busts and statues of people, as well as random stuff, like stuffed birds, canopic jars, Moche pottery, astrolabes, the usual.
My other favorite room was the hall of Egyptian statues. Not the Rosetta Stone, necesarily, that was kind of a pain, but the really big people were cool. There was guy whose head was as big as I was!
I am slowly realizing that I'm a bit punch drunk and if you want proof, you should look at the descriptions for the pictures I took today and put on facebook. To spare the world a similiar fate here, I'm going to bed. I have a productive day planned for tomorrow. We'll see how well that turns out. :)
Oh, and pretty much nothing happened yesterday. I ate lunch and wandered a bit, read a book and went to bed. It felt wonderful.
I had two favorite galleries. The first was the gallery that was themed 'Enlightenment'. It was almost a history of the museum! But is was really how scientific thought developed through the early 1800's. The room was set up like a giant study, with floor to ceiling bookshelves filled with books and stuff! And the stuff was so cool I forgot to look at the books. They had a Rosetta Stone that you could touch. Which was good, because I think I elbowed people so I could just see the real one. They had a bunch of busts and statues of people, as well as random stuff, like stuffed birds, canopic jars, Moche pottery, astrolabes, the usual.
My other favorite room was the hall of Egyptian statues. Not the Rosetta Stone, necesarily, that was kind of a pain, but the really big people were cool. There was guy whose head was as big as I was!
I am slowly realizing that I'm a bit punch drunk and if you want proof, you should look at the descriptions for the pictures I took today and put on facebook. To spare the world a similiar fate here, I'm going to bed. I have a productive day planned for tomorrow. We'll see how well that turns out. :)
Oh, and pretty much nothing happened yesterday. I ate lunch and wandered a bit, read a book and went to bed. It felt wonderful.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Two Days In!
So, Wow! Long two days. I've managed to cram a lot in. Friday morning I woke up and went to my first class. We met in the courtyard and then went to the cafeteria. We mainly talked semantics. Afterward, McGee was going to the i-zone (IT) and it's in the same building as the library, so I tagged along and found the books on the Normans (my independent study topic). I ate lunch a cute cafe with a couple of the other girls and found out that lemonade is actually funny tasting sprite. Then we went on a walking tour of Canterbury. We saw the city walls, some of which were knocked down by Cromwell's army, Dane John's hill, which used to be a Norman palisade, some bomb shelter's from WWII, Canterbury Castle, which was amazing, and then we went to the Greyfriars' Garden. It's the garden of an actual monastery and is absolutely beautiful. Then we took a tour of the Pilgrim's Hospital and were off for tea. That night was one of the girl's birthdays, so we went out to the Penny, a pub less than a block away from the House and everyone (but me) had a pint.
Today, we went to London. We went a took a tour of Parliament, which was really neat. The building is incredible and the traditions are pretty cool too. If you aren't a peer, you can't sit in the House of Lords. Which was sad because our feet hurt from waiting in line. I got a couple of post cards and I got Mom a thimble. We had a really cool experience just as we got out. We were standing around eating our snacks outside the cafe in Parliament when Big Ben started ringing. If I'd been smart, I would have had a video going, but I didn't think about it until it was almost done ringing. Then, we went to the Imperial War Museum. They had a gun out front with shells bigger than I was. I also looked through the spy exhibit. At that point, Sam and I couldn't find anyone we knew, so we headed back to the train station. I got some pictures of Big Ben and Parliament from across the Thames and we made it on a train back home, where we ran into some very drunk Englishmen, who proceeded to give us advice on the best pubs in Canterbury. They were rather vulgar, but actually pretty funny. It was definitely an experience.
My feet hurt from all the standing and walking and I am definitely tired.Tomorrow is a walking tour of the churches of Canterbury and Monday is STONEHENGE! Up at 2 in the morning, but so worth it.
Today, we went to London. We went a took a tour of Parliament, which was really neat. The building is incredible and the traditions are pretty cool too. If you aren't a peer, you can't sit in the House of Lords. Which was sad because our feet hurt from waiting in line. I got a couple of post cards and I got Mom a thimble. We had a really cool experience just as we got out. We were standing around eating our snacks outside the cafe in Parliament when Big Ben started ringing. If I'd been smart, I would have had a video going, but I didn't think about it until it was almost done ringing. Then, we went to the Imperial War Museum. They had a gun out front with shells bigger than I was. I also looked through the spy exhibit. At that point, Sam and I couldn't find anyone we knew, so we headed back to the train station. I got some pictures of Big Ben and Parliament from across the Thames and we made it on a train back home, where we ran into some very drunk Englishmen, who proceeded to give us advice on the best pubs in Canterbury. They were rather vulgar, but actually pretty funny. It was definitely an experience.
My feet hurt from all the standing and walking and I am definitely tired.Tomorrow is a walking tour of the churches of Canterbury and Monday is STONEHENGE! Up at 2 in the morning, but so worth it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)