Contrasts – Chapitre 4 – Two Museums

Continuing with my theme on contrasts, I visited two museums while I was in San Diego.  The Museum of Natural History and the Museum of Art.   Both wonderful places, although I have become a bit partial to the Smithsonian after having the privilege of visiting there.

Museums are kind of sacred places.  Artifacts and collections spanning time and space.

What I like about comparing these two is that you might call one an exhibit of artifacts of our and other species’ evolution and the other an exhibit of some of the products that came after our evolution.  At least to this point in geologic time.

Artistic endeavors that exceed the four basic F’s.  Higher brain development from the scientific, analytic, left side of our brains (fossils and skeletons) and the higher creative abilities from the right side of our brains (paintings and sculptures).

Both museums showcasing works of art, just different forms.  Both places of learning and fascination.  Places where attention is not focused so much on the self.  Places that can bring people to total quiet similar to the way the ocean did, with an infinite gaze at the portrait of a beautiful woman.  Or places that are a buzz with excited running, pointing and shouting at the bones and butterflies.

I didn’t see anyone taking a selfie standing next to a Van Gogh, but yeah, next to a dinosaur’s bones.  But at least I get that one.  Tiny human.  Big jaws 🙂

Perhaps a rare moment, I did hear one child say, to his father’s dismay, that he was bored.  But mostly it was excitement and awe.

So on with a gallery to feed the imagination . . .

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** I’ll be back to add some pics from the Museum of Natural History once I get through them 🙂

Prior Chapters of Contrasts:

Contrasts – Kapitel 1

Contrasts – Hoofstuk 2: Which Animals Do You Watch?

Contrasts – κεφάλαιο 3 – Cabrillo National Monument

 

 

This is but a small, representative sample of the works on display.  No way to catalog them all 🙂

And here are a few from the Museum of Natural History.  Please forgive the reflections, lighting, shadows, etc.  Shooting though glass display cases has its challenges.