#87 - Visit 3 New Museums

Museum #1: Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA)

When I wrote this list item, I intended to make some visits to Balboa Park, which is just a mile from where I live.  I can even bike, or walk, there.  I probably would more often if my neighborhood didn't rest on a steep hill, Balboa Park didn't rest on a gradual hill, or there were some sort of bridge in between.

Instead of strolling the mile away, I flew across the country to Boston.  Well, really, I flew across the country to Boston to celebrate Patriot's Day and to watch the Boston marathon.  But since the list founder Alan Fortunate resides in Boston, we had to cross a couple additional things off my list.

Sadly, we stayed out too late the first night in town, and I had trouble rallying the next day.  However, the day after that, Al took me to the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA).  We both are apparently fans of contemporary art because of its ability to incite one of two reactions: 1) "Wow, this is really innovative, beautiful, and thought provoking," and 2) "What."  We saw both on our Sunday afternoon, just-before-closing visit.

Sonic Arboretum

My favorite "Wow, this is really innovative, beautiful and thought provoking" piece was titled Sonic Arboretum.  It is a collaboration between sculptor Ian Schneller and violinist Andrew Bird who plays an original composition.  The room is filled with colorful phonographs, large and small, some spinning, playing "Echolocations: Canyon."  Just walking into the installation I felt a warm, vibrating energy.  I woke up and smiled.

Vegan Arm

My favorite "What." piece was titled "Housewife."  It was made of a stripped manikin frame and pieces of an old timey vaccuum cleaner.  It made me done one of those close-lipped, through the nose kind of breath giggle.

I also really liked Vegan Arm, which was part of a collection with a whole morality myth story.  I don't know which category I'd put it in, which made me like it even more.  Even the description couldn't decide: "For Hancock, Vegan Arm possesses a ritualisitic -- almost miraculous -- quality.  The arm can be interpreted as holding the bucking in front of viewers as if fishing for souls, or offering the liquid to viewers, like holy water at an altar."  Awesome.

If I lived in Boston, I'd probably be a member of the ICA.  What a quirky place full of beautiful things.

Museum #2: San Diego Firehouse Museum

My second museum visit did happen in San Diego but it happened by surprise.  I was half-way through working an event for my second job when I thought, "Oh, this event is in an museum!"  I mean, I knew I was working an event in a museum, but I forgot that I had a list item called "visit 3 new museums."  I'm counting it as a visit because it was so tiny that I managed to hit every room.

The event was a wedding full of happy, friendly people at the San Diego Firehouse Museum.  It was a sweet, unique venue full of interesting firehouse artifacts, including old timey engines.

"Have an escape plan."

We never take photos of the event as that would violate the privacy of the guests' celebration, but I did snap a few in the back room, where no one was, just to document the visit for my blog.

I also captured the creepy children's room, where children can practice escaping from a fire from a very deconstructed house.

Museum #3: San Diego Museum of Art

I've been hearing for awhile now about this great event at the San Diego Museum of Art called "Culture and Cocktails" that happens every few months at museum in the aforementioned Balboa Park I had planned to visit when I originally added this list item.

While out at Mother's (again) after another day of Vavi beach volleyball, we were talking about upcoming San Diego events.  I mentioned wanting to go to Culture and Cocktails but that I never bothered to look up the dates.  My teammate Mark Mora then told me that it was that week and they were going.  Since tickets were $20 and membership starts at $45, which includes entry to all events. I just joined as a member in hopes that it was actually a decent museum and I'd want to go there more often.  I suppose that was a silly spontaneous decision, but at the very least, there were a lot worse places to throw my money at.

The bummer is that we had championships that night at work, and I'd promised to work them.  The good thing is that I was now a member, so even if I showed up late, I didn't feel like I'd wasted money on a $20 ticket when I could only go to half of the event.  I changed at work and headed to the park.

The event was quite a scene.  People were done up and drinking heavily.  I thought a few of my lady friends were going to the event, but none of them ended up going for various reasons.  Luckily, Mark Mora and Mitch Barnes let me tag along with them and their friends.

The theme for this event was "Coney Island" because of the current special exhibit, which was all kinds of art focused around Coney Island.  There were circus-type performers, Coney Island decorations, a Coney Island-themed drink with cotton candy melted into each one that was made to order, and Coney-Island themed photo booths, where this happened.

#nevergiveup

That was the highlight of the night for me and probably for everyone else who saw it projected on the wall in the main room.

A few of us actually did explore the exhibit until we were ushered out for closing.  It was really captivating, and I may go back to have more time with it.

I will definitely go back to see the other exhibits.  When I entered, the museum seemed tiny and the collection small, but as I wandered later in the evening, I realized there were much larger galleries tucked away through hallways that were choked with drunk people who were not interested in art.

Despite the crowds, it was a fun event, and I look forward to the next Culture and Cocktails on November 5!

BONUS!  Museum #4: Natural History Museum of Los Angeles

I was in Los Angeles for FYF Fest, and on Sunday, there wasn't a ton going on during the day.  My buddies and I did brunch at Roscoe's, hit up the Time Travel Mart (826LA), and then made plans to meet at the fest.  But as I was walking to the fest from my car, I longingly glanced at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles and the giant skeleton hanging in the lobby of the back entrance.  I asked the gate monitor how much entry for a student was, and she told me that since they closed in the hour it was half off, so it was $4.50.  $4.50!  Sold!

 I wandered the museum for the hour, mostly hanging with the dinosaur bones.  Even though I have often had dinosaur-themed nightmares, I find them fascinating.  It was quite a collection, possibly the largest I had ever seen.

Bummer that the butterfly pavilion was closed because of the festival.

I couldn't tell you if the museum as a whole is "worth it," but if you're a student, it's half off, or you're way into dinosaurs, I highly recommend it.

BONUS #2!  San Diego Air and Space Museum

Thanks to Yelp! I got to visit a fifth new museum this year.  Each year, Yelp San Diego hosts a big Halloween party for Yelp Eliters, and this year they brought it back to the San Diego Air and Space Museum.  While we didn't do a ton of learning, we did wander through the exhibits and saw a lot of things that used to fly.  It was a really cool space for an event, especially an event with a ton of free, really great food and drinks and tons of creative people in costumes.  (Friend me on Yelp! http://captainfun.yelp.com)