On October 19, my friends and I went to the Natural History Museum as my second event, which unfortunately is located right near USC. We even faced some hostility as we presented our student IDs when the cashier said "We all know who is the better school!" Word of caution: UCLA students at this museum should be prepared for some sneaky remarks from Trojans. Despite this encounter though, I have always been quite interested and intrigued in nature and especially dinosaurs, and so I was very excited for this event!
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| In front of the dinosaur! |
Our first impression as we walked through each of the exhibits was that even the areas that I had no interest in were full of scientific facts and artistic practices. My favorite portion of the museum was the Gem and Mineral Hall, since it was one of the most beautiful parts of the museum. Here, hundreds upon hundreds of gems were skillfully displayed in a lightly lit room with historical and scientific information. To think that every one of these gems were created naturally from earth really demonstrates how besides the art created by the various forms of technology we learned in this class, art can also be created through natural means.
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| Gem and Mineral Exhibit |
However, I also spent a great deal of time in the "Becoming Los Angeles" exhibit, which explains L.A.'s 240 year journey from the golden hills of California to the reason Hollywood became the center of the entertainment industry. I felt like the section really pertained to this course because it exhibited the role of robotics and industrialization and how it played a role in the growth and identity of L.A. For instance, in Week 3 of this course, we learned about Henry Ford and his role in making cars relatively cheaper from the common people through the assembly line. I learned through the exhibit that although Ford came up with this idea of the assembly line, it was Hollywood that played a role in promoting cars as a "must have" family item. At the museum, there was a box car for films, in which the directors could shoot the actors while running a movie driving cars in the background. Through the use of films and the box car, Hollywood was able to affect the perception of masses of the American population about affordable cars.
After experiencing all the different sights and sounds of the Natural History Museum in Los Angeles, I realized the importance of Robotics and Art. By merely shooting films on cars, a new era was born in Los Angeles, and therefore establishing Hollywood as the premier center of the entertainment industry. Furthermore, the gallery of minerals also reveals the clash of two cultures as mentioned in lecture 1, because although one would label gems as a product of scientific processes, gems are also works of art. Going to this museum really made me appreciate art a lot more. I would definitely recommend visiting this Natural History Museum to enrich your knowledge of the history of Los Angeles and minerals!
Other photos:
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| Ticket to the Museum |
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| My best version of not impressed |
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| Friendly Photographer |
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