For those of you who are interested in the American Civil War:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/...y.html?hpid=z2
Museum that holds USS Monitor artifacts has to shut the lab
For those of you who are interested in the American Civil War:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/...y.html?hpid=z2
Interesting to read some of the comments. I don't think some folks get it.
As I was reading, I was struck by a picture with the following caption:
Photos of the Day: Dennis Rodman sings for Kim Jong Un, cardboard boat race, heat-stressed bats, frozen Niagara Falls and more.
The juxtaposition of ACW history with this was, well, I don't know what it was, but it was something.
"Va. museum shuts lab with USS Monitor artifacts, citing lack of federal funds"
But yet we give millions to people in foreign lands who hate the us.
I don't disagree with Bobby's point, but let me add this retro-active disclaimer:
I know this article is likely to generate all sorts of political rants one way or the other, but I only posted it as I think many of us are interested in all things related to naval history. It would be nice to keep discussion more on the Naval History and less on the political causes of this situation.
I'd suggest a Kickstarter, but.... ;)
Political aspects aside (for the most part), here's my two cents.
I feel very bad that we put such little worth on our history (as humans, a nation, etc). While I might be biased, I feel it's important for our "generation" to carry these things forward for future generations to be able to interact with in more ways than just through pictures in a history book. Getting slightly into the politics part, I believe people have to stop relying on the government as much (not that it's bad, its just you don't have as much control over their decisions as you think/would like). So what I'm left feeling is, they should charge $10 per head for the museum or whatever it would take to cover more of their cost.
For most people, visiting this is a once/twice in a lifetime thing, even me who is really is into history, isn't likely to make this an annual trip. I'd be more than willing to pay the money. I think if you're very open and transparent with the "community" and you state that your a self funding museum and cover your operating costs through admissions, and also talk about the value of keeping history alive for future generations - most people visiting the museum would understand (after all, they themselves are taking an interest in history). Heck, you want to visit Disney land, costs you in the neighborhood of $4-500 a day for a family of four, so comparatively speaking, $40 for a family of four to spend a day at a history museum isn't unreasonable in my mind.
The other aspect I may find even more disheartening is - visitors are down overall. I feel in today's modern society, "people" (and I use that term very loosely) are lazier than ever. A young kid these days may say, I can see it on the Internet, why would I want to go and visit it in real life? I think future generations will grow up with a very different mindset than some of us may have.
Ryan, why attend something real when you can "attend" anything you want virtually? Even when experiencing something real, folks devolve in to the virtual world. How often do you see folks actively engaged in conversations at restaurants, etc.? Far too often, I see everyone engaged with their electronic devices. How often are you in a conversation with folks who are pulling their phone out of their pocket every minute to check an incoming phone call, as opposed to giving you their full attention? How often is an event occurring, and instead of taking it in in the present moment, folks are capturing it on their phones, etc.? Must be nice to have a recorded memory of recording an event. In this kind of world, I am not surprised at all if museum attendance is down. Unfortunately, each successive generation will pay a price as the lessons of history are forgotten, and as humans become less adept at engaging humans, humanly.
Tower of Babel, babe.Originally Posted by 7eat51
In 140-character increments.
Unfortunately its a common issue around the world. I have always been impressed at the number of US warships that have been preserved (especially as we have so few here, and efforts to secure others such as the Whimbrel have proven difficult or impossible), but it is apparent that many are underfunded and at risk - only recently there was talk of towing the Olympia out of Phili and scuttling her, and doubts as to the near term future of the Texas. Both nationally significant ships. I'm glad I have visited them . I visited the Mariners Museum in 1997 so too soon to see the Monitor's turret and the artefacts recovered in recent years. I just hope I get a chance to in the future.
On a local note the battlefield site at Tewkesbury has been put up for sale. one of the most historically significant battlefield sites in the UK and its under threat of being turned into a housing estate
Because no matter what, you can never get the same feeling of awe from looking at pictures of the battleship Missouri than you can standing on her foredeck looking back at her guns and bridge. Or standing beside her on the dock.
While I've seen pictures of the HMS Victory online, I'm sure the same goes for standing on her quarterdeck or deep inside her hull. You see it in books, you experience it by touching her mast with your hand.
Agree with all your statements, it's an electronic world - but it's a world that sees, and doesn't experience (I believe that was what you were getting at with your comment about recording it versus living in that moment). When I think about my life, the most important things aren't things I've seen, but things I've experienced. Depressing to think that many generations from now, people may only get to see, not experience history.
We know that because we have experienced both. Many of my students, for example, primarily know the world through electronics. They do not have sufficient experiences to know their current mode of experiencing the world isn't all there is. Last year, I took a group of students home to Chicago for a week to explore the nature of beauty through food, film, art, and architecture. One of the requirements was no electronic devices. Our first meal was at a Spanish tapas restaurant. I think it was the first time for some of them to sit at a dinner table eating and talking for hours. The whole week was like that - we had to engage each other and our surroundings in rich ways. At the age of 21, the week was a new and foreign experience for them. It was gratifying and saddening at the same time.
I taught for Outward Bound for a number of years. Taking people out of their element and thrusting them into experiences where they have to cope with harsh realities in both the inner and outer wilderness was like the moral equivalent of war. I am a big proponent of this style of experiential education. It's good for the mind, body, and soul.
The first Outward Bound school was opened in Aberdovey, Wales in 1941 by Kurt Hahn, and Lawrence Holt with the support of the Blue Funnel Line. Outward Bound grew out of Hahn's work in the development of the Gordonstoun school and what is now known as the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. Outward Bound's founding mission was to give young seamen the ability to survive harsh conditions at sea by teaching confidence, tenacity, perseverance and to build experience of harsh conditions. Jim Hogan served as warden for the first year of the school. This mission was established and then expanded by Capt. J. F. 'Freddy' Fuller who took over the leadership of the Aberdovey school in 1942 and served the Outward Bound movement as senior warden until 1971. Fuller had been seconded from the Blue Funnel Line following wartime experience during the Battle of the Atlantic of surviving two successive torpedo attacks and commanding an open lifeboat in the Atlantic ocean for thirty-five days without losing a single member of the crew. From the inception of Outward Bound, community service was an integral part of the program, especially in the areas of sea and mountain rescues and this remains an important part of the training for both staff and students in Outward Bound, Wales. The first Outward Bound program for females was conducted in 1951. Fuller was seconded to the USA in the early sixties to help establish Outward Bound USA in Colorado and the first Peace Corps training camp in Puerto Rico.
Some of the more notable Outward Bound teachers include James Kielsmeier, Stan Hugill, Tom Kennerley, Paul Petzoldt, Robert B. Rheault, Karl Rohnke, and Willi Unsoeld.
Exerpt taken from this link.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outward_Bound
...and now y'all have some notion of my hatred and disgust for the modern era....
A good friend of mine who was a member of the Explorer's Club and a wreck driver, was able to dive on the Monitor in the 90's. He also dove on the Spanish treasure wrecks in the Keys. There is a private museum in the Keys holding the artifacts from the wreck of the Spanish galleon Atocha. Of course it is big business selling replica gold coins! Treasure and Pirates seem to be a big draw, unfortunately all the Monitor has is history.
Maybe if James Cameron or Micheal Bey were to make a movie of the Battle of Hampton Roads......
There's already a good movie out there: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102129/ .Maybe if James Cameron or Micheal Bey were to make a movie of the Battle of Hampton Roads......
Right but my point was a blockbuster made for the masses to bring public interest to the museum.
The significant developments in CGI and green screen would seem to make visually impressive (and highly accurate, that was one's goal) movies of events such as this. I'm sure the readership here would flock to see a big screen movie of hampton Roads and the story of the Monitor and Virginia. but would enough of the general movie going public do so? Master and Commander is a highly commended film but didn't make enough for a sequel to be considered, although one was planned. Sir Ben Kingsley has been talking for some time about a movie based on Jutland which you'd think would do well what with the 100th anniversary coming up and the focus on WW1 history that is building in Europe and the USA. But I fear there just isn't the general interest to make it commercially viable. But I hope I'm wrong.
Maybe the story could be spiced up with aliens and then SyFy Channel might pick it up
Bingo.
I feel bad about the museum but the problem is even greater. There is money in the Federal system but not for remembering who we were, what we stood for and the sacrifices we made. Rather the funds (and who / what they champion) are there to misdirect us to forget our historical or moral foundations. Add to that a lack of vision for our future and the result is a nation and a people that perish. The real closing is not of a museum but of America.
The first and only political comment I will ever make here. Delete it if you must.
Here is a short film clip from an old film on the historic ironclad duel.
Thanks for the link to Ironclads, Chris. I was unaware of that film.
Wow sorry you feel that way. If it cheers you up the new NPS visitors center and museum at Gettysburg is very well done and visited often, just try to go there in July and you'll see what I mean!
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks