Museum of Natural History
When visiting the museum of natural history, I was able to witness the role of evolution on organisms. On our tour, I was amazed by the structure of sea creatures and how they evolved in time so they can fit their functions for them to survive. The tour guide showed us how the teeth structures differ in various fish and this is because their way of feeding differ. Some had very sharp and pointed teeth and their large shapes helped them hunt big preys in the sea. The large canines helped them tear apart the flesh of their peers.
When I first entered the museum of Natural history, I felt like a tourist who wants to look for artifacts, but when I started learning the information behind each site, I saw how so much is connected to what we learn in class. I have never been in a museum with so many creatures and see how they are connected to my Major (Biology). I was also amazed to learn that many researchers work at the museum of Natural History so that they can provide corrected information about the animals fossils they bring to the museum.
I was also amazed by how the natural museum used different presentation tactics to make sure that everyone gets access to the information and has an amazing experience. This includes audio tools, visual aids and the presentation style itself was very engaging.
I took this image of the fossils of different human skulls from zinjanthropus to the homosapiens. I have always learnt in history books how humans ancestors evolved in time as they adapted to their new environment. Most of my experience was in books and I never got a chance to see the fossils iup close. Fun fact is that the zinjanthropus was discovered in Tanzania in Olduvai Gorge by Mary Leakey but we do not have the fossil with us. This made me reflect on how big museums like this take fossils from local countries and use it in exhibitions. This is un ethical for the ethical countries as they do not benefit from the discovery or the revenue generated for it.
It made me wonder if museums could always have someone from the host country to explain the findings and fossils that was discovered in their country. This bring first hand information into different things especially if there are questions addressed to that particular country.
Globalization also plays a huge role as most scientists have access to proper equipements thaat locals don’t. In some cases these fossils might have been discovered by locals first but they do not have any knowldedge to connect the dots. I would suggest that scientists should acknowldege this and not make it look like they did everything on their own.
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Before visiting the MET, I watched a video that showed why people should bring their dates at the MET. Honestly I did not know if this was even a thing but when I visited the MET I saw many couples looking around and engaging in convesations. This made me wonder why the MET could be a proper place for dates. I think that the MET has various places that bring out a feminine vibe and this is very intriguing to most women. This is because these places are beautiful and most of them have attractive colors.
One of the place that stood out mostly to me and rooms. This rooms had very bright colors and the details of every decoration was very attractive and it just gives you comfort that you would want to stay at the place longer. The images above are the rooms that I visited and as you can see they have very bright orange colors some blue with beautiful chandeliers and furnitures.
The detail in the wood work and furniture is very modern especially seeing that the pieces were from 1767 where it was made in Orange County, Coldenham, NewYork, United States. This made me realize that in 1700’s the architects and skillsmen in New York were more advanced than other plaaces in the world. Looking at the art pieces I would assume that this would be a rich person’s house because of the interior design and how fancy the place looks. This piece was orginally owned by Cadwallader Colden Jr. who was a physician, natural scientists, a liutenant governor and acting governor of the province of New York. His status and roles in his society matches my assumptions. I was confused and suprised when I learnt about this because the room’s color and details look more feminine to me hence I would have thought that a woman owned the place.
I took this photo when I visited the Egyptian wing at the MET, these are stones that people in the past showed how a certain ceremony was conducted that involved the Pharaoh. I was fascinated by how the drawings in the stones were very detailed and it showed how the whole ceremony was conducted. The stones show the jubilee of the pharoah was conducted to celebrate his monarch after thirty years. This rituals were normally meant for royals and there is a goddess and a courtier involved to support the pharaoh. The Met does not give an exact decrsiption on whose reign this was but the assumption is that it was during the reign of Snefru. This seemed like a very complicated ritual to me and it made me think why they inscribed these drawings in the stones which was originally meant for the royal cult structure at a pyramid.
The drawings in the stones made me realize that this was Egyptians ways of recording history for the next generation. This made me understand that art was used as a means of communications for many generations. This history can then be passed into the next generation which helps preserve their culture and passes certain practices to the next generation. This helps preserve their identity and protects the society from been exposed to the effects of globalization. In many African countries, globalization has made certain practices to be abolished especially those that are harmful to the society which is a good thing. One of the side effects of globalization is the loss of tribal languages, I grew up speaking swahili which is a nation’s langauge because I lived in a town area. My parents can speak both swahili and their tribal language because they lived in the village when they were young. As generations increase and many people move to town areas, children will not be able to learn their tribal languages which are important parts of their idenity and hence as years go there won’t be any youth who can speak in their tribal language.
POEMS
SKIES
When I look at the sky I see peace,
I see hope, I see beauty,
I see that I can be part of something big,
Something massive that most people look at for hope,
When they are praying,
When they are day dreaming,
When they are curious,
When they wonder,
Or even when they have no clue.
When I look from the sky I see creation,
I see buildings glittering with lights,
I see oceans so blue and so massive,
I see beautiful tress forming canopies in the forests.
When I look from the sky,
I see that I am part of something big,
Somethings that humans created,
That glow with lights,
That makes the world from above,
Seem something so enchanting,
Something so real,
Something soo well developed,
That makes me be proud.
Now I look at the sky and the world,
Appreciating the smell of the morning dew,
The sunsets in the evening,
The birds chipping and flying enjoying the world,
And the fact that I am part of a beautful world.
SKYLINES
What are skylines?
To me there are the proof that the sky is the limit,
Who would have thought that man could be this great,
That man could invent something so huge it makes people intimidated,
Something so tall you get dizzy looking at it.
To me skylines represent power,
The power that many nations are fighting to have,
The power to create something that seemed impossible,
Something so stable that it can stand up in the sky in the midst of clouds.
You ask me why big cities have skylines?
I would say they show power,
They show wealth,
They symbolize modernization,
They symbolize globalization,
And they show what great minds can accomplish,
When working together,
When sharing ideas, talents and skills.
Skylines are beautiful,
They shine in the sky during the day,
They are sparkly at night from the sky,
They make you feel special when you walk the streets,
They make you want to go in and take a look at the world from their roof tops,
Too bad I am scared of heights I would have ran at the chance.
FLYING
I always wondered,
What it meant to fly,
How it feels to be up in the sky,
Was it scary, was it fun,
Where you scared you would fall anytime!
I then wondered how it felt to be on a plane,
Does it make you feel like the beds in the sky?
How about when the plane takes off?
And when the plane lands?
I now know how it feels to be on a plane,
When you hold on to your seat,
Waiting for the plane to take off,
Giving you goosbumps,
When the wheels start turning
And your heart starts racing to the pace of the wheels
And then you realize you up in the air
Floating like a baloon in water,
Not knowing how you got there,
But the feeling of euphoria hits you
And then you start seeing the beauty below,
Civilization in its best view,
Living with nature and things that make the world perfect,
Then feelings of awe and happiness engulf you,
Forgeting how scared you were just minutes ago,
You fall asleep admiring the world from the top,
Feeling like you in control of everything you see.
