self-archive part five
Initial entry into the Exploratorium: I could see the dome from "miles away". It was looking decidedly roman from where I was. Upon approach, I darted onto Baker, a residential street to get to the museum. Its a super nice neighborhood. Super nice. I come around a corner, and am transported into magical land. There is a lagoon with spraying water and assorted elements of nature! The columns and the dome are so rustic, beautifully colored. The color schematic reminded me of Hagia Sophia (which I have seen in person). Still beauty. I sit outside, eat an apple, think about how much later I am arriving at the museum later than I had wanted to. I stroll the perimeter, and then my bladder drew me inside. When you walk in, especially if you are going to the bathroom, you are faced with these columns that are Dali-esque. They appear to have people standing, black featureless people that face each other without distinct faces. I immediately liked it. I entered the museum, and had already become a member so felt very member-rific. I came in and put my bag in one of the 75 cent lockers. The space initially reminded me of when the Olympics were in Atl. I guess it must have been 1996? At any rate, of course my family, a friend, and myself went the day of the bombing. Pre-bomb there were many erected spaces that had the same feel of the Exploratorium. The feel is like a giant black airplane bunker or a shell of a building that emphasizes the contents rather than the interior architecture. Whatever the name of the headquarters for 99X were in, were similar in feel to the space here. I felt like I should just be in the museum before checking in, and becoming a behind the scenes person. So I did just that. I took my time, and wandered around the exhibits, just letting myself be drawn by what I was drawn by. I felt most drawn to the workshop, which is off limits to normal explorers. I noticed that instead of docents there are "explainers" and they wear construction vests. I became very hungry. When I get hungry, I get tired ,very tired. I know some people who get cranky, I just get weary. I thought this is the perfect time for me to see what it is like to eat at the museum. I approached the cafe' which is right next to the Live webcast arena. Currently, I was being shown an image of Mercury crossing over the sun! I was so excited, how fortuitous. I ate organic rotini with roasted vegetables and a salad while watching Mercury waver as it crossed the sun. The cafe said it supported local farmers somehow and was affiliated with the Sequoia foundation or some such other. It was good. I am pretty picky about food, so it was better than just good in order for me to say good. I finished felt revived and continued to explore some other exhibits. Eventually I realized that time was getting on and I should find Dierdre.
I went to the office and she had been waiting for me. She started off by getting me a volunteer id on my very own lanyard, and showing me where I can get the key to my office. Then we walked around all of the offices while she pointed out who does what where. Then we went outside and across the street to these buildings that were storage for the army when this area used to be an airstrip. These buildings have been winterized and now house the Exploratorium's extended back of the house. She mentioned there is a bike in her office if I ever want to ride around on my lunches.
In this area are the offices of outreach and assorted others. People are really allowed to have character to work here. I saw a beautiful sno-globe collection, a trained dog, and many other sites. There appears to be no dress code and everyone is interesting. To be honest, by this point I am paranoid that I am drooling over their work environment. Dierdre discussed how they are trying to find a different location because they need more square feet, and that the community doesn't want them to grow into the Palace of Fine Arts taking over the rotunda or whatever. I feel very lucky that I get to see it while its in this location - which I love.
We come back and she shows me "our" office, and the safety video. It turns out they had made their own, and it was so silly that California OSHA made an outsider create a new one. That was the one I saw. I had my picture taken and by then it was five o'clock. Everyone left, but me and several other volunteers. There was lecture on the "Traits of Life" Series which was on stem cell research. I did not know anything about stem cells, and now I do. It was given by a scientist Bruce Conklin and I was able to focus. This all means that I didn't leave the museum until about 8:30pm. I didn't really know where to find the bus and asked several people, one of which knew. I took the bus to Market street and then got on the Bart. I got home at around 9:45 because I had stopped by my friend's work to see if he was there. He wasn't, but was waiting at home. I had said I would go out with him and his friends that night, but declined due to my extreme level of exhaustion. DECLINED!
In sum, I felt that the museum was its own space, a place where exploration was encouraged and their reputation as a noteworthy institution was upheld. The experience truly began with the first time I saw the rotunda, but culminated in the created environment indoors. Its number of exhibits and visitors stunned me a bit, and left me feeling like most people who come here, probably don't see everything their first time, how could they? It felt like a good place to be a member. Stimulating, but not didactic. Generative but not destructive.
I went to the office and she had been waiting for me. She started off by getting me a volunteer id on my very own lanyard, and showing me where I can get the key to my office. Then we walked around all of the offices while she pointed out who does what where. Then we went outside and across the street to these buildings that were storage for the army when this area used to be an airstrip. These buildings have been winterized and now house the Exploratorium's extended back of the house. She mentioned there is a bike in her office if I ever want to ride around on my lunches.
In this area are the offices of outreach and assorted others. People are really allowed to have character to work here. I saw a beautiful sno-globe collection, a trained dog, and many other sites. There appears to be no dress code and everyone is interesting. To be honest, by this point I am paranoid that I am drooling over their work environment. Dierdre discussed how they are trying to find a different location because they need more square feet, and that the community doesn't want them to grow into the Palace of Fine Arts taking over the rotunda or whatever. I feel very lucky that I get to see it while its in this location - which I love.
We come back and she shows me "our" office, and the safety video. It turns out they had made their own, and it was so silly that California OSHA made an outsider create a new one. That was the one I saw. I had my picture taken and by then it was five o'clock. Everyone left, but me and several other volunteers. There was lecture on the "Traits of Life" Series which was on stem cell research. I did not know anything about stem cells, and now I do. It was given by a scientist Bruce Conklin and I was able to focus. This all means that I didn't leave the museum until about 8:30pm. I didn't really know where to find the bus and asked several people, one of which knew. I took the bus to Market street and then got on the Bart. I got home at around 9:45 because I had stopped by my friend's work to see if he was there. He wasn't, but was waiting at home. I had said I would go out with him and his friends that night, but declined due to my extreme level of exhaustion. DECLINED!
In sum, I felt that the museum was its own space, a place where exploration was encouraged and their reputation as a noteworthy institution was upheld. The experience truly began with the first time I saw the rotunda, but culminated in the created environment indoors. Its number of exhibits and visitors stunned me a bit, and left me feeling like most people who come here, probably don't see everything their first time, how could they? It felt like a good place to be a member. Stimulating, but not didactic. Generative but not destructive.
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