gogs and museums

from the going out gurus:

Washington, D.C.: Not sure you can answer this. Where do the philosophers, writers, artists and dreamers hang out? I want really good conversation. Am I in the wrong city?

Jen: My understanding is they all gather at the Rainbow Connection. At least, that's where you'll find the lovers, the dreamers and me.

perfect.

on another note, my least favorite oft-repeated line in these chats has to be, "we've already done the museum thing."

no. you haven't. I promise. let us count the free museums on the mall:
natural history
air & space
african art
native american history
hirshhorn
national gallery
freer & sackler

I am not even including american history because they are under renovation.

Let's say that the extremely unlikely is true, and you have actually been to every single one of these museums. Let's further posit that you are incapable of travelling beyond the mall or paying even a nominal admission fee and must therefore miss out on say, the national portrait gallery, the corcoran, or even the spy museum. can you now safely say you've "done the museum thing?"

no.

because here's the great thing about museums: they have exhibitions. and the great thing about exhibitions? they change. museums continually invest their (too limited) resources into putting up new and exciting shows for your viewing pleasure. it's awesome.

When someone says, "I've already done the museum thing," it means they've been to a museum or two once, and that's it. They got their dose of "culture" so now they can move onto something fun. Like eating your spinach, you hold your nose and do it because it's "good for you" and besides, once you're done, you get to have dessert.

What's so frustrating is that museums, especially the free ones on the mall, are designed to counteract exactly that attitude. why do you think they put in all the films, computer kiosks, and hi-tech audio tour equipment? why do you think they had wall texts and actual artifacts in the first place, instead of just saving time and publishing some informative books?

it's annoying.

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