One of the most incredible parts about living and studying in London is access to museums. There is one tucked away on almost every street, and they can range from the Lemony Snicket-esque townhouse of an art connoisseur architect (the Sir John Soane Museum) to the classically imposing British Museum and everything in between. The best part about these museums – most of them are free! The idea of housing history in and of itself is a remarkable feat. To allow the public access to some of the most iconic cultural landmarks (The Rosetta Stone at the British Museum, for example) is an opportunity of a lifetime.
Conveniently, I am a five-minute walk from a lot of museums. In the two weeks that I have been here, I have been to a few different ones for my classes. On my own, I have been to the British Museum at least four times. It is like having field trips, but so much better because I get to apply what I have been learning in real-time. For example, in a British Authors class, I read “Ode to a Grecian Urn” by John Keats, then proceeded to visit the British Museum with my class to look at the Grecian art section to try to understand his inspiration for the poem. The assignment given to us was to try and find the vase we thought was the one he was writing about and explain why. In a short stories class, I went to one of the British Library’s exhibits to see Virginia Woolf’s handwritten notes and drafts. The inspiration to learn is everywhere because I can concretely visualize it. I can honestly say I have never been more engaged in my course materials. It’s like being a kid in the world’s largest candy store. Museums allow you to return to the excitement for learning that gets lost in the shuffle of high school classes. The best part is as a student, it is so accessible in that it is free. I can go back over and over again and continue to foster the connection between my education and my natural curiosities.
By going to museums you can see these figures outside of your head, outside the abstract. It becomes tangible. You can see the walls of the Parthenon, you can see Jane Austen’s handwritten letters, you can walk through Charles Dickens’ house, you can even see Grecian doggos from the reign of Alexander the Great (I saw all of these – and it was great). With the presence of museums, it is no longer just a thought or an idea, you can begin to understand that they were once alive. Museums humanize our history by showing us that it’s real. They curate a human connection to history, to our past. That sincerity and wonder are sorely lacking in the United States, and I am lucky enough to have found that enthusiasm for learning again here in London. So, next time you think history is a concept out of your grasp, try to walk into a museum. It may just change the way you think.
Courtesy: Olivia Duff
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