Only in the USA, they say. Museums are moving into the future.
They already have. What's already new that I can think of?
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was the children's dream car of the future. I am more interested in what the car of the future can do for me, such as avoiding collisions. We have sensors to help us to reverse. We have seatbelt warning sounds on taxis in Singapore. What we need is a sign which says, 'warm object in back seat, temperature is ... degress, alrm set to call your phone and your family and the police and the nearby security if you do not return within ... minutes.'
1 We know that driverless cars are being tested on the roads. I know that in Singapore we have driverless trains and driverless light railway carriages.
2 We know that museums are creating videos and online quizzes. Admittedly sometimes one of the exhibits doesn't work and the attendants who are their apparently just for security and to direct you to the toilets can't fix the machines. But we are all driven mad by websites which won't work, passswords which have to be entered and changed. Yet we still love our smartphones. Yes, interactive museums are the thing of the future. What do I want? The same as on my computer at home. Sound level set to me, not to annoy the whole room.
However, here's a museum offering a new realm of museum interaction.
It's operated by microsoft. Exciting and new. Of course, you can buy tickets online.
If you don't have time to trawl all through their website, are already convinced and want the whole thing neatly summarised on one page, go to Wikipedia.
First, Wikipedia asnwere my first question. Who was or is Peterson? A publisher with millions to spare and/or the ability to raise funds for this project. He revamped the old museum stunningly, no more quare blocks, but odd shape buildings.
Here is how it looked before the revamp.
Good old wikipedia puts the map and address where you want it, in plain view on the right of the page.
I don't need to know more.
I often skip the history part in Wikipedia, more interested in the present, also less interested in the future plans which might never materialise. But where this museum is concerned I really enjoyed comparing the old with the new. The old museum was full of spikes, agressive, bad fung shway (Chinese for wind and water, basically fitting in with the environment.) Yes, the outside of the building does go with the flow. But the colour is a bit over dramatic. Never mind.
OK, we are ready to go. Where is the museum? On Museum Row in LA, (Los Angeles), California, USA.
Just a minute - how much is it? Sixteen dollars for adults, reduced for seniros to 14, and 11 for children.
You can choose a one hour tour or a two hour tour.
If you can't get there, you might like their online shop. Lots of black tee-shirts for men with assorted designs, key chains (in the UK we say key rings), socks with various car designs, leather gloves reduced from 60 dollars to thirty, plus shipping costs. Anything unusual? Whisky stones, which look like large grey dice, to cool a drink. Take a look.
Peterson Museum.
6060 Wiltshire Boulevard
Los Angeles 900
USA
About the Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
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