Saturday Selects is a series of posts I write on the ocassional Saturday about topics outside the general bookish theme of the blog. Today I’m discussing museums.
I think if you’re reading this you likely know about my trip to DC last year. For four days I went to every museum I possibly could. After the conclusion of the trip I still have a lengthy list of museums in and around DC I want to visit. A month before I went to DC last year I went to Austin for two days. It was the first time I visited one of the presidential libraries. In those two days I went to four museums and the state capitol of Texas. Next month I’m spending eight days in Boston.
As you can see I’m just about obsessed with museums. Quite honestly I’d like to visit every museum I possibly can during my brief time roaming Earth. But the question I often get is “Why?”. Why do I want to travel to different cities of the world just to go to museums?
I’ll tell you. That’s where all the history lives. I’m not saying there aren’t bits of history scattered throughout cities and historical places, but for what is typically a nominal admission fee you’re granted access to hundreds, thousands, and in some cases millions of pieces of individual history. How great is that!
You don’t have to be a history buff to appreciate the opportunity museums give us. We’re allowed to learn about cultures, eras, wars, and movements because people behind the scenes have usually devoted their lives to preserving history and historical artifacts of all shapes and sizes.
I love museums because I’m only one person in one era living one life experience, but I’m so eager to learn about the things I haven’t and won’t be able to experience. Museums are time machines. And who doesn’t love those?
Johnny Reads 
I’m fairly obsessed with museums, myself. I love history and there’s so much we don’t learn in school that is wonderfully presented in museums. In a much more interesting and stimulating way. Museums are always on the list when I travel. Always.
I went to the Louvre when I was in France in college, but the place is so massive, it’d probably take a week to see it all, and we didn’t have that kind of time. I want to go back. To my shame, I haven’t yet been to D.C., but the biggest draw for me is the Jeffersonian and other museums there. I can’t wait to see them someday.
Have fun in your travels! It’s nice to get out and about from time to time. 🙂
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You’re exactly right. No amount of education can replace what’s found in museums. There’s just so much history. That’s how I felt in the Smithsonian museums I went to. I usually devoted three hours for individual museums, but they’re simply massive. I never had time to get through the entire museum. Which is why I’ve already planned out my entire Boston schedule and if I’m somewhere I’m really enjoying, then I won’t rush to get through it. It helps that I’ll be there quite a bit longer than I was in DC. And thanks! I know I will.
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Ahaha!!! I’m an idiot. I just realized I wrote Jeffersonian instead of Smithsonian. Pfft. Obviously I’ve been watching too much Bones.
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I actually had no idea what you were talking about when you said it. I even Google searched. Then just gave up and decided to say nothing. 😂
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Dude… You missed a prime opportunity to bring the smack down. Metaphorically and verbally, I mean. 🙂
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Haha! Missed opportunity.
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If you ever make it to Toronto, Ontario, Canada the Royal Ontario Museum is well worth the visit! There’s also the Science Center and a lot of other stuff you may be interested in.
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I may have to put it on my list of vacation destinations.
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