So I’m a museum nerd. I spend most of my days, when I’m not here with IMBY, in a basement cataloging objects and relishing in the fact that I get to touch stuff that other people don’t. All while wearing appropriate gloves, of course. One thing I love about living in Seattle is the wealth of museums there are to explore. This can quickly become an expensive endeavor, but it doesn’t have to. Seattle is also home to many free museums, you just need to know where to look! Continue reading
I am so excited to have joined the IMBY team this season as the first ever Community Outreach Mentor! The opportunity to influence the development of a program is a thrill and has allowed me to put so many of the ethical community engagement practices I’ve spent years studying into action. I thought I would start off the season by giving you a peek into who I am and what has brought me here! So, here are 10 things you might not have known about me (Unless my mom is reading this, in which case, hi Mom!). Continue reading
Earlier this month, members of the IIMBY team visited the Henry Art Gallery on the University of Washington campus. The museum is easily accessible for a large number of people, as it is at the heart of the University District, which is always a bustle with a multitude of people. The gallery currently houses a show by the artist Ann Hamilton entitled the common SENSE, which runs until late April 2015. It was a pleasant surprise upon walking in that the themes of the exhibit revolved around words, such as ‘touch,’ ‘connection,’ and ‘place.’ These are ideas that we interns are exploring in the IMB project with our research about sense of place.
For our return journey from Olympic National Park, we decided to take the Bremerton Ferr
y back to Seattle. While we waited for the ferry, we stumbled across a gem. Right next to the ferry entrance is the Puget Sound Naval Museum. This museum is a fantastic place to visit if you are in the area and it’s free! This stunning building is marked with tall white pillars that add a classic feeling. When we entered the museum, we were greeted by two incredibly knowledgeable volunteers that were both eager to help us. As we explored the museum one thought came to me that may surprise you: the museum is cute.
Experience:
After grabbing some delicious coffee and breakfast at Caffe Ladro, the In My Backyard team made their way to the Seattle Art Museum (SAM). I say the In My Backyard team because almost all of the team member went, instead of just the interns. This was our first museum trip with so large of a crew and it was to get to see everyone and have fun together. When entering the SAM, the first thing that you will notice is the white cars, filled with exciting light fixtures, hanging from the ceiling. The fixture is quite the spectacle.
THE EXPERIENCE:
Giant sloth fossils from the ice age
This Wednesday, we, the group of SCA interns, made our way to the Burke Museum. Located in the bustling University district, the Burke Museum is a treat to visit. As we entered the museum we were greeted by our tour guide, Michael. Michael is post undergrad and a volunteer in the museums docent program. Michael, the former zoology major, told us that he never considered education as a life path until he became a volunteer at the Burke Museum. Though it was Michael’s first guided tour, he did an excellent job keeping us involved by asking us questions about what we thought certain artifacts were.
Today our four interns and a new volunteer, Jimi, ventured out for a tour of the Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience and a discussion with the Education Coordinator at the museum.
Handmade mahjong set
Wing Chong Luke himself was the first Asian American to hold elected office in the state of Washington and was a crucial part of the passing of an Open Housing Ordinance in Seattle in 1963 that had provisions against racial discrimination in the selling/renting of real estate. We toured the museum which skillfully recreated a hotel which many immigrants new to Seattle stayed in. After learning a great deal about Wing Luke the plight of the Asian Pacific Americans and their role in Seattle history, we learned about the fabulous opportunities for middle schoolers and high schoolers at the Wing.
Many Seattle museums and art galleries participate in the awesome Free First Thursday Program. On the first Thursday of every month admission is free and normally special programming such as tours and hands on activities are offered. Also a few parking garages provide free parking which makes getting downtown via car much more affordable. Check out the list of participating museums at http://www.freemuseumday.org/sea.html. The list of involved art galleries can be found at http://www.firstthursdayseattle.com/.
The Nisqually earthquake of 2001 shook up Seattle politics as well as the ground the city is built on. The Alaskan Way Viaduct, built in the 50’s, sustained some of the worst damage. Ever since, the city has become fiercely divided over the replacement of the roadway. In 2009, a plan to replace the viaduct was set in motion. The SR 99 tunnel construction project is currently in action with the massive tunneling machine named Bertha in the ground. In an effort to help the public navigate the implications of the tunnel, the Milepost 31 information center was created in the Pioneer Square District. The center, run by the Washington State Department of Transportation, has an impressive array of exhibits, all completely free.
This Friday, two other project interns and I visited the Pacific Science Center. It was quite an experience for me to see the Pacific Science Center again. I hadn’t actually walked around the entire museum since I was far younger. It was fun to see the dinosaur and naked mole rat exhibits that I remember from my childhood. Also, random side note, naked mole rats are extremely fascinating creatures with super interesting social systems. If you ever have time to check out their Wikipedia page, you’ll learn some cool animal facts. There were also several new exhibits such as “Professor Wellbody’s Academy of Health and Wellness.”
In My Backyard 