Objects of Travel Assignment 4: The Museum of the History of Science

The Museum of the History of Science is located in west Oxford, conveniently next to the infamous Bodleian Library. Opening in 1638, the ultimate theme of the museum is that of science, housing a variety of significant scientific instruments dating from hundreds of years ago up to the early 1900s. The museum is often referred to as the “Old Ashmolean” and was the first museum in the entire world to be opened to the general public. Elias Ashmole contributed his collection to the museum which was housed there until the collection expanded into what is now the Ashmolean Museum on Beaumont Street.

The layout of the museum itself has an interesting history, considering the basement was first used as a chemical laboratory, and the middle story of the museum was used for lecture rooms and demonstrations.

In 1924 the museum became a primarily science based museum and has been such ever since. Upon climbing up the steps the doors open into a surprisingly (but pleasant) single room divided into two halves. The outer wall of the left side of the room is lined with mathematical and astrological instruments. There are about six centerpieces that serve to present a wide range of the museum’s objects, something to give the visitor a taste for what they are in for. Within a showcase, there are three tiers, each with very distinct objects. Here is an example:

When glancing at the top shelf, you probably wouldn’t realize that it is actually a silver microscope that was made for George III in about 1770. The middle shelf contains some Persian astrolabes, a common astrological object found throughout the museum. The bottom shelf contains a drug jar from the seventeenth century, originating in Italy. The layout of the tiers doesn’t necessarily represent what types of objects are found on each floor, but instead shows the wide range of countries represented in the museum, as well as the types of instruments that contribute to the museum as a whole.

The right side of the floor contains a wall of microscopes and sundials all contributed by Dr. Lewis Evans. This collection was deemed the “foundation collection” of the museum that made it into the science-based museum that it is today. 

Travelling down into the basement seems to suggest the passage of time as the light gets darker, and the stone walls turn into wood. I felt like I was really travelling into a medieval lab where weird, sharp objects made me feel like I was walking into Frankenstein’s lab.

This turned out to be my favorite floor by far, considering there were objects ranging from horrifying medical instruments all the way to the evolution of cameras. There was an entire cabinet that paid homage to Louis Pasteur’s discovery of penicillin, a drug that saved so many lives during the World War and continues to show its significance today.

 Another amazing piece is a blackboard with Einstein’s equations of the expansion of the universe, written during a lecture he gave in Oxford. Winding around the basement, a very different tone presents itself as the visitor walks through a room of ancient clocks and models of the planets until coming upon a passageway that traces the evolution of insects and bugs. The theme of the passage of time at this point is almost awkwardly obvious, but necessary to the basis of the museum. 

The third floor is arranged very different from the bottom two floors, not only spatially but also within the types of objects presented. The cases are not nearly as cramped as the basement and middle floors. The level of scientific achievement is much more elevated, consisting of astrolabes and sundials, suggesting a calculating atmosphere and a higher level of scientific genius. The walls are lined with glass cabinets, chronologically oriented and categorized by country. The countries presented are from the Islamic world, Renaissance Europe, Nuremberg, London, and Paris.

Overall, the theme of the museum is clearly and effectively presented with a wide range of objects that were all significant contributions to the world of science. From the basement to the top floor the visitor experiences the passage of time from hard labor in a laboratory to sophisticated scientific instruments on the top floor. Being a biology major, I thoroughly enjoyed seeing firsthand several objects that were essential to the development of modern science and research. 

Objects of Travel Assignment 3: Collecting Doors

Throughout our class in Objects of Travel we’ve been discussing many different themes of collecting. Some people collect books, some collect figurines, and some collect packs of cards (like me!) It’s been difficult to fully express the scope of what all I have learned on this trip, but the blog has been a great way to keep a collection of those memories that will sadly soon begin to fade.

Following along with the theme of collecting, we were challenged to collect pictures of objects that are characteristic of Oxford and hold special value in the objects themselves. After doing some thinking and exploring, I kept finding myself standing in awe of doors. It might seem ridiculous, but every single door that I have crossed paths with has a different personality, flavor, and story behind it. I’ve even said a few times that I would love to come back to Oxford in about 10 years, pick out my favorite door in the whole town, ship it back to the U.S. and then build a house around that door. Might be wishful thinking, but hey, a girl can dream right?

Each of these doors either holds a special memory of my time in Oxford, or has a certain air of mystery that grabbed my attention.

 First up is a church door found during our time at Stratford upon Avon. The first thing that caught my attention was the shade of blue, something of a mix between cobalt and navy, as well as the curvature of the iron on the long wooden beams. It almost gives it a fairy tale like quality, something you wouldn’t think would normally be associated with the entrance of a church.

The teal rustic door with the chips of paint and hole in the bottom suggests a sense of wear and tear. From what I could figure out, this was a simple door for a simple house. Yet it was this simple characteristic that seemed to draw me in and demand a sense of respect. For me, this door represents the locals of Oxford, shaped by their history but also a distinct element of that history.

When this picture was taken, the grounds of Christ Church were buzzing with the excitement of the Summer Eights, a rowing competition held every year between the 38 colleges. It looked like Christ Church might be taking home the trophy, and the students were clearly excited about the possibility of returning glory to their college. This door is the entrance to one of the men’s dorms in Christ Church, as can be noted by the seal of the college on the right hand side. Along the left hand side you can barely make out how many bumps were made by the team. The person with the most bumps wins the competition. Not only is this door the entrance to students’ living quarters during the term, but also a way of showing their pride for their school and accomplishments.

This door caught my attention because of its distinct medieval flair. I came across this door when I walked into an old partly ruined Norman medieval castle (Oxford Castle) in the western part of the city. In the 14^th century it was turned into a prison and now, oddly enough, is used as a hotel. The studded door, great iron hinges, and bars across the bottom capture the history of the castle quite well. Something that also intrigued me about this particular door was that it was one of the few white doors I came across in Oxford.

These two doors serve as a memory our tour of the Churchill War Museum in London. Clearly, the first was the entrance to a map room and the second, a door covered in keys that unlocked all of the other doors in the war rooms. I chuckled a little when I thought about the fact that this door’s sole purpose was to gain entrance to all of the other doors.

This door might seem a little familiar after taking a closer look, because it is the entrance to Hogwarts! We traveled to Warner Brothers Studio in London to take a tour of the set of the Harry Potter movie series. We had just watched a short film, narrated by Daniel Radcliffe himself, and in the film he beckons everyone to follow him into Hogwarts. The screen lifted up and there stood this door. It was made of real wood and opened up into the set of the Great Hall. 

Last Wednesday we took a tour of Blenheim Palace, and this magnificent door was our first greeting to the palace. The intricate detail and golden designs are indicative of what was to come on the tour, and it ended up being our favorite palace of all.

After exploring along Port Meadow and the River Thames we came upon the remains of Godstow Nunnery. The first picture serves as an entry way into the chapel of the nunnery, one of the last remaining visible buildings on the site. The second door (archway) was found along the wall of the ruins. The story behind this place is that when Henry II’s mistress died he originially buried her at the high altar at Godstow. The bishop of Lincoln did not like this and dug her up and buried her at the cemetery, which was destroyed due to the dissolution of the monasteries during Henry VIII’s reign. She is now said to roam the grounds searching for peace.

Not only do these doors serve as entryways to destinations, but they ultimately serve as a collection of some of my best memories from my time here in Oxford. Here are a few more that caught my eye that you all might enjoy.

This door was teeny tiny. I deemed it he "Hobbit" door. 

Objects of Travel Assignment 2: The Elgin Marbles

Neil MacGregor, the director of the British Museum in London, is also the author of A History of the World in 100 Objects, a text used for our Objects of Travel class. One specific chapter focuses on the hotly debated topic of the Elgin Marbles. For those who have never heard of this debate, the Elgin marbles are structures that Lord Elgin, the British Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, took around 1800 from the Parthenon. He then proceeded to put these marbles on display in London, and they now find their home in the British Museum. 

Other structures from the Parthenon are not only present in the British Museum, but in others such as the Musee de Louvre in Paris. Here is actually a picture of these structures that I saw in the Louvre this past weekend, the exact ones these articles refer to!

 First, a bit about the marbles themselves: MacGregor and his staff seem to think that the images depicted on these structures are those of myths that represent the struggle between that of the Greeks and Persians when the Persions invaded the Greek mainland. Since the Ottomans used the Parthenon as a means of gunpowder storage in 1637, these structures were significantly damaged when an unexpected explosion occurred. It is suggested that one of Lord Elgin’s motives in removing the structures was to help restore and preserve the structures from the previous damage.

There are two sides to the story. The Greeks claim that Lord Elgin actually stole the marbles because they claim the Sultan did not officially approve Elgin’s removal of  the marbles, and that this unofficial agreement from a Turkish officer did not contain an agreement to take them out of the country. (3) There is still much discord on this argument in particular. On the other hand, The British Museum uses the marbles as an argument for their stance that they play a leading role in allowing cultural identities to develop from the interconnection of sculptures and artifacts from all over the world, allowing the public (free of charge) to get a taste of the Greek culture.  An article from the British Museum website states the importance of the arrival of these marbles in London because they “regenerat[ed] interest in ancient Greek culture and influence[ed] contemporary artistic trends.” (2)

In 2007, the Greeks finished construction on a much needed new museum, the New Acropolis Museum, in an effort to prove they can care for their structures and no longer need babysitting from the British Museum. Their websites states “the new Museum offers all the amenities expected in an international museum of the 21^st century.” Thanks Greece, ‘bout time you decided to catch up. (4)

I find myself agreeing with the British Museum’s side of the debate, mainly because of the aftermath that would follow if the museum were to return the marbles. Wouldn’t that then suggest that all artifacts should go back to their original homes? This would obviously leave no need for museums any longer and would lead to “a global loss of appreciation and understanding” in the words of Tristram Hunt (1).

Even if Lord Elgin did in fact steal the marbles, I think that at this point it would be more beneficial for the good of the museum industry for the marbles to stay where they’re put, so long as they’re properly preserved and given the rightful exhibition that they deserve.

An argument such as this holds such moral implications on both sides that it seems like the two countries will never quite see eye to eye. Give up the marbles and potentially give up the global connection of cultural identification that is the very foundation of museums themselves? Or live with the fact that the very artifacts the museum presents to the public eye were acquired through deception and manipulation? 

The man behind the drama. Just look at that smirk!

References:

(1) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18373312

(2)http://www.britishmuseum.org/about_us/news_and_press/statements/parthenon_sculptures.aspx

(3) http://gogreece.about.com/od/museumsingreec1/i/marblereturn_2.htm

(4) http://www.theacropolismuseum.gr/en/content/museum-history

Objects of Travel, Assignment 1: A Take on Woolf's "Street Haunting"

As part of my faculty led program with MSU, my “Objects of Travel” class requires 5 assignments focusing on the theme of “collecting”. Just wanted to throw that out there to any readers questioning why this post is a tad different than the others. 

A couple of weeks ago our class studied one of Virginia Woolf’s essays entitled “Street Haunting”. Basically, Woolf tells the story of an outing she embarks on one night in London in search of a pencil. What the reader comes to find is that it isn’t really the pencil that she is searching for, but rather the observations and encounters she has along the way. When she returns from her walk, she sets the pencil on her mantel as a reminder of not only all of her memories, but also how the walk changed her perspective on life in different ways. Thus, the pencil represents a collection of her memories and herself from that walk.

Unlike Woolf, I wasn’t set out on a journey to find an object that would remind me of my day in London. I assumed that I would simply buy a touristy Union Jack flag or miniature Big Ben figurine (to add to my collection of course!). Little did I know, my object would make its appearance later on in the day.

When we went to London last Thursday it was a whirlwind of a day. The streets were packed full of tourists and civilians alike, all buzzing about to the sounds of streetcars whizzing around corners (which we quickly learned were not easy to dodge). As soon as we stepped out of the bus we turned the corner to find ourselves standing in front of the domineering, magnificent Westminster Abbey. 

Our tour guide, Bryan, walked towards the House of Parliament and there he was, Big Ben himself, rising above the River Thames as if he seemed to be watching over the city. Across from that was the London Eye, moving so slowly you had to look very carefully to see the minute movements.

Next we headed to one of the most anticipated sites, Buckingham Palace! Sadly we weren’t able to get up close enough to a picture with the infamous iron, gold-tipped gate, but we were able to line up along the road for the changing of the guard! I had never seen anything like it, the soldiers all marched down the streets in different directions to the penny whistle tune. I couldn't help but be reminded of the loyalty of the guard as they marched, undeterred by the mass of eyes watching their every movements. Their love for their country and queen is evident in the strong mechanical strides of the moving pack.

After we had lunch we were privileged to tour the Churchill War Rooms, where Winston Churchill and his war cabinet met underground when London was being bombed nightly. We learned that these war rooms were chosen for their location not only because it was close to 10 Downing Street (home of the prime minister), Westminster, Buckingham Palace, and Parliament, but also because Churchill refused to leave London and back down from a fight. I think it is so respectable for him to stick it out with the fearful people of London when he had the option of safety. That just reflects the loyal nature that the people of Britain seem to be especially blessed with.

Lastly, we decided to go back to Westminster because I was NOT about to miss the opportunity to see this incredible place. Immediately upon walking in my breath was taken away by the high ceiling adorned with ornate designs, stained glass windows with beautiful scenes all along and shrines upon shrines upon SHRINES! So many famous people are buried there, not just kings and queens of years past! Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, Michael Farraday, Lewis Carroll, just to name a few. Even though photography isn’t allowed I snagged this little shot of the knave. This is actually right in front of where Isaac Newton was buried! Another fascinating tidbit about the Abbey is that every hour on the hour a priest comes over the speaker and asks everyone to bow their heads in prayer, as a reminder of the true purpose of the church. So many different religions and people go in and out of that church, and I know it was a blessing for me to be able to experience that time of silence and prayer with people literally from all around the world. 

Being the American tourist that I am, I couldn’t help but ask one of the workers to point out the exact path Kate took for the incredible wedding I woke up at 4 in the morning to watch. Naturally, we proceeded to walk the same path (with Jenni as my Pippa) until we came to the center of the abbey where coronations, funerals, and weddings have taken place for hundreds of years. Just two days before, the Queen had stood in the very spot I was in for her 60^th coronation anniversary for the Diamond Jubilee.

 Next we moved on to one of my favorite parts of the abbey, the Lady Chapel. I’m going to put a picture I found on the internet but just know that it will never do it justice. I literally stood in awe just taking it all in for about five minutes. Here's a little link to some interesting facts about Henry VII's Lady Chapel.http://www.westminster-abbey.org/visit-us/highlights/the-lady-chapel

I left Westminster feeling completely content and struck with awe in what I had just experienced. We then had about 2 hours to wander around that area of London, with no plans in mind. It was really freeing, just wandering around not knowing what might come around the next corner. We happened upon one of the bridges over the River Thames where we took in the beautiful horizon of London, with Big Ben on our right and the London Eye on our left. Just standing there taking it all in was more than I could have asked for.

Next we went down to Trafalgar square where my object makes its first appearance. A street entertainer approached me and said, “Miss, I have something for you.” He promptly grabbed my finger and attached a piece of string to it which he quickly began flinging in all different directions. The swift movements became more organized and a shape began to take form, full of vivid colors of red yellow white and blue. Before I knew it, he had constructed a beautifully woven bracelet around my wrist, a sweet reminder of the spontaneity of that day and the memories of my first visit to London. Of course I paid him, but he made sure to say, "You choose what you owe, it is not for me to decide my worth." He literally would have been fine with either one pence or 5 pounds. I had to decide the worth of this man in that moment, as well as the worth of the bracelet itself. I scrounged around in my wallet for change and ended up with a pound. The bracelet itself probably wasn't worth 5 pence, but the meaning was worth so much more. 

(Sorry for the awkward picture, I couldn't untie it because as you see, it would all fall apart and I would never be able to get it back on it I did.)

I’ll never forget that experience or the experiences of that day that led up to it. You see, the vivid colors of the string remind me of the beautiful reflections of the stained glass windows of Westminster Abbey. And when I think of Westminster I think of Parliament, Big Ben, and the London Eye all standing in their glory nearby. And when I think of these things I am reminded of the incredible opportunity this entire trip has placed before me, as well as the relationships that I have formed along the way. And it all is triggered in a simple string bracelet. This isn’t simply a stuffed bear or flag that I’ll look at every now and then, but is actually something I can look down at my wrist and remember my first London trip every single day. And in my opinion, my object is much prettier than a simple pencil.