New California Museum to be Greenest Ever

by Neil Woodburn on

It’s only natural that a Natural History museum is as eco-friendly as possible.

And, it’s only natural that “the world’s largest eco-friendly public building” will be a Natural History museum located in America’s most eco-friendly city.

Sometime next year, the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park will throw open its front doors and invite the public into “one of the most expensive museum projects in a century,” according to Wired Magazine.

The $484 million building is incorporating a slew of green technologies to really put its money where its mouth is. How ironic it would be otherwise to celebrate the natural world while polluting it at the same time with an energy-consuming hog of a building.

With this in mind, the architects have implemented such innovations as a lawn roof that doubles as a natural habitat, 60,000 photovoltaic cells atop another roof, and shredded blue jeans as wall insulation (hey, isn’t Levi’s corporate headquarters located in San Francisco?).

When it is completed, the California Academy of Sciences is going to be one of the most impressive buildings around; what other piece of architecture so thoroughly practices what it preaches?

What To Do When It’s Cold In New York City

by Jonathon Morgan on

Planning a trip to NYC? Bummed that the city is practically frozen over at the moment? Never fear! By taking the time to explore two the city’s most fantastic museums, you can keep your family occupied — and out of the cold.

You’ll want to get started at the American Museum of Natural History. Especially if you’re with kids, this is a must see. I have a 2 1/2 year-old, and she’d be in love with the dinosaurs, African Mammal Hall, and Ocean Life exhibits. You’ll also find a planetarium and an IMAX theater — something I’ve found to be a great activity for cold and rainy days.

After you’re done at AMNH, take the 79th Street crosstown bus to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. We’ve yet to visit NYC with my toddler, but according to the linked article, the trick is to stand up to the surly museum guards. “They’re the city’s most fervent believers that children should be seen and not heard — they’ll level stern, disapproving glares if your child so much as skips for joy or exclaims above a whisper.” But as long as you don’t let your little one wipe greasy hands all over famous works of art, you should be fine.

For a full run down on all the awesome stuff to do in both museums, check out Holly Hughes’ article on Frommers.

DARFUR/DARFUR at the George Eastman House

by Adrienne Wilson on

Last weekend as I rolled into Rochester, NY I found out the George Eastman House / International Museum of Photography and Film was kicking off a new exhibition titled DARFUR/DARFUR with a candlelight vigil. As excited I was about attending the vigil which involved a short walk to the George Eastman House, I wimped out due to the cold weather. Instead I headed inside right at the museum opening to explore the DARFUR/DARFUR collection among others.

In DARFUR/DARFUR, a collection of digitally projected images by photographers Lynsey Addairo, Mark Brecke, Helene Caux, Ron Haviv, Paolo Pellegrin, Ryan Spencer Reed, Michal Ronnen Safdie and Brian Steidle are combined with words and Sudanese-inspired music. As I sat watching the images of torched civilians, villages afire, and orphans from the genocidal conflict in Darfur, Sudan my heart started to sting and I began to feel so inactive. More than 400,000 individuals have either died or been injured from the non-stop violence and even with numbers so high the glimmer of hope and a hint of a smile can still be found on the faces of those who have not yet lost it all. It is worth your time if in Rochester or visiting in the near future to check this one out. Pick up a fact sheet while you’re there and write a letter or learn more about DARFUR/DARFUR by clicking here.

The exhibition which runs from January 20 to April 22 also includes feature-length documentary films and a variety of programs to help lead a community-wide discussion on genocide and war.

Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum

by Adrienne Wilson on

Thanks to Roadside America those wanting to pay homage to President Ford can head out to Grand Rapids, Michigan, home of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum. Their write-up on the attraction is so superb I feel like I’ve already made the journey there myself. Seriously! According to their notes the museum was nothing more than a presidential bore up until 1997 (ten years back) when millions in cash poured in and enabled the place to get a much needed face-lift. Now visitors can experience light shows, surround-sound, and holographs. Included in their Sight-of-the-Week feature are some pretty nice photos from the inside which show shots of the faceless Betty Ford dummies modeling her hairstyles at the time and a picture of an ATM set into a wall. For those who do not know, Ford was the president who signed the legislation that made it legal to get money from a machine.

How my mind has expanded so much from just reading this piece! If you don’t have plans to go and don’t plan on making plans at least plan on visiting the Roadside America site sometime sooner than later. If you do plan to go or have been, please share your thoughts.

Mobile Ashtray Museum

by Adrienne Wilson on

Imagine a world where non-smokers and smokers live harmoniously. How do you picture it? What does it look like? Does the smell of cigarette smoke pollute the air or do you only catch whiffs of apple-pie, roses and other delightful scents floating in the air? I do not yet have a clear vision of what this harmonious world looks like, but Japan Tobacco seems to have one or a piece of one at least.

According to this Japan Times article the world’s third-largest cigarette-maker aims to push portable ashtrays so that smokers can place their butts in a safe place until further disposal and non-smokers can enjoy a landscape unblemished by discarded cigarettes. Are you feeling the harmony yet? The Mobile Ashtray Museum (MAM) is a private collection of manufacturer’s products from the past, but also an emporium selling more than 300 portable ashtrays. Other goods for up for grabs include lighters, cig cases, and all the JT-made cigarettes, of course. I mean, after you go check out all these sort-of cool devices to help keep butts off the ground, I mean you’re going to want to puff on something right? From the sound of this piece the smoking tourist might have somewhat of a blast in the so-called quirky museum, but the truly anti-tobacco minded will choke up and probably burst into flames at Japan Tobacco’s attempt to keep smokers smoking and therefore passing on their second-hand smoke, which is always the biggest issue with smokers anyway.

Right?