Museums

 

     In the game TREZAAM, the goal is to make it to a museum to deliver some ancient items. As I reminisce about museums, the one that comes to mind first is my favorite one: The Kon-Tiki Museum in Olso, Norway. Kon-Tiki is my favorite book, and it was awesome to see the museum in person.

 

     I visited the Kon-Tiki museum on a cold day. Some snow was on the ground here and there, and the air was quiet. Next to the museum, by the water's edge, is a monument to some explorers who reached the North Pole a long time ago. These statues are a testament to the difficulties that early explorers faced in their great quests.

 

 

     The raft that made the original Kon-Tiki journey was on full display inside the museum. For a moment, I was the only patron inside, and it was peaceful to walk around at my leisure. The grandness of Thor Heyerdahl's endeavor was contrasted by the stillness of that day, and that's what I thought about as I perused all the artifacts recovered from the expedition. 

 

 

    In the gift shop, I purchased a postcard of the Kon-Tiki raft to send to my family. I filled it out, then dropped it in a mailbox outside the museum.

 

     Museums have a special place in my heart. There's something unique about mankind's habit of revering things long gone, by creating and maintaining reflective spaces for the sole purpose of keeping their memory alive. I cannot put into words the feelings I feel when walking the halls of such spaces.

 

 

     Far north in Narvik Norway, above the Arctic Circle, I visited a museum dedicated to WWII.

 

   Here I touched relics of the battles waged in the fjords against the German invasion. It was interesting to see these violent weapons of war now resting softly, as peaceful people congregate amongst them.

     I always wonder what life was like for the Greatest Generation, and how it might have felt during that time. I imagine it was a tremendous sense of relief when it was all over. And perhaps going through such a horrible time left the soldiers more appreciative of small things once they returned to their families at home.

   The following photo is the final resting place of a sunken battleship on the edge of a fjord outside Narvik:

 

   The third and final museum I'd like to talk about is a tiny hidden gem. Nestled in the vast forest of northern Sweden lies a facility known as Esrange Space Center. 

   As the dark of night was fast approaching, I took a drive up a narrow snow-packed road that winds its way through the wilderness near the coal mining town of Kiruna. The only creatures I saw along the way were two moose and two reindeer, who were equally surprised to see me as I was to see them. 

     At the end of the very long road was a small visitor's center for this unique place - an operational rocket launch and satellite control station!

 

     Inside, guests are treated to complimentary coffee and snacks, and allowed to tour the tiny museum area for free. On display are actual satellites and other items previously launched to space. It was quite the rare excursion indeed.

   

     This launch center is surrounded by vast uninhabited land - suitable for its activities of course. I pondered what it might be like someday if humans were to have a base or outpost on, say, an icy moon of Saturn or Jupiter. Would it feel like this place? Huge frozen landscapes, with just a few highly skilled people operating an advanced undertaking to further man's search for answers. Perhaps.

 

     Eventually, I made it back home. I am so glad that with all of humanity's ills and defects, we have managed to retain some bright spots like museums. It makes me optimistic about our chances as a species.

 

     I hope your museum adventures bring you insight and wonder.

     What is your favorite museum? What museum would you like to visit? 

     Until next time, take care.