MUSEUMPALOOZA #1: PHILADELPHIA EDITION
Andrea Duffie
Now this is the story all about how...I arrived in Philadelphia and saw a lot of really cool things, since this was the second major city in my first Museumpalooza walkabout. I didn't really know what to expect from Philly, but what I discovered was an impressive collection of all kinds of museums, and a city full of friendly, welcoming people. (And also, cheesesteak.)
Good morning, Philly! Tim the T-Rex and I are kicking off another day of our #Museumpalooza tour with Robert Indiana's famous Love sculpture in JFK Plaza. (See the blog post!)
After stuffing my face with Steve's Prince of Steaks (a controversial choice among cheesesteak enthusiasts), I proceeded to the Mütter Museum, a fascinating and bizarre collection of rare anatomical specimens, scientific models, and the kind of old-school medical instruments that you'd expect from a place that was once one of the oldest professional medical organizations in the country.
The Mütter welcome party was known as the Mütter Giant, a seven-foot-six-inch human skeleton that is the tallest human giant on display in North America.
Unfortunately, no pictures are allowed of the Mütter Museum's collection. The institution reminds us that the human remains that are part of their collection exist for serious scientific study, and out of respect for the dead they are not to be photographed to be potentially mocked and ridiculed on the interwebz.
However, I did learn a few things while at the museum...specifically, stuff about bezoars. Which Harry Potter nerds might remember because 1) it's an antidote to most poisons, and 2) it's what Harry used to save Ron after he'd been accidentally poisoned in the presence of then-Potions master, Horace Slughorn in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
Obviously.
But that was merely a fictional bezoar. Real bezoars still have their fair share of legends and old wives' tales associated with them, but they're also much, much weirder than you'd expect.
Looks a little different now, doesn't it?
Once I'd sufficiently recovered from the many specimens, skulls and conjoined twin casts, it was time to put all my museum training to the test...by climbing the stairs of the Philadelphia Museum of Art at a measured and reasonable pace.
#TimTheTRex is READY. He's got the eye of the tiger AND the thrill of the fight! More #Museumpalooza to come at the Philadelphia Museum of Art!
Today's #Museumpalooza took Tim the T-Rex to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where he admired their impressive main lobby and the statue of Diana (goddess of the hunt), by Augustus Saint-Gaudens...which used to serve as a weather vane at the top of Madison Square Garden in New York.
Marcel Duchamp, Nude Descending a Staircase (No. 2). Oil on canvas. (1912)
Tim also saw a Nude Descending a Staircase...or that's what he thought was going on. If you look hard enough, you can see the trail of movement that Duchamp was going for, like when your cursor leaves trails as you drag it across your computer screen. #Museumpalooza #MarcelDuchamp
Marcel Duchamp, Fountain. Porcelain urinal. (1950 - replica of 1917 original)
And speaking of Marcel Duchamp, I've been hoping to see his Fountain in person FOR YEARS. The first and most famous of his "ready made" sculptures, Duchamp asks the viewers to take an otherwise mundane, even gross object (a urinal) and look at it aesthetically: its curves, its shape, its lines and texture. #DreamsComeTrue #BestUrinalEver #Museumpalooza
Pablo Picasso, Three Musicians. Oil on canvas. (1921)
"Hey guys, play Free Bird!" - Tim the T-Rex #Museumpalooza #PabloPicasso
The Italian theatrical tradition was a heavy influence on this Cubist painting, with a man in Harlequin (the diamond-checked costume) playing the violin, Pierrot (the sad clown character) playing the recorder, and a Franciscan friar playing the accordion.
Next, it was off to the Franklin Institute for art of another kind...
Nathan Sawaya, Lego Mona Lisa. Original painting by Leonardo DaVinci.
#Museumpalooza Stop #10 took us to the Franklin Institute, where there was an exhibition by Nathan Sawaya featuring famous works of art recreated as Legos.
Nathan Sawaya, Lego Girl With a Pearl Earring. Original painting by Johannes Vermeer.
Nathan Sawaya, Lego Scream. Original painting by Edvard Munch.
Of course, everyone's favorite painting by Munch was part of the exhibition. #Museumpalooza #IScream #YouScream #WeAllScream
Nathan Sawaya, Lego Winged Victory of Samothrace.
Nathan Sawaya, Lego The Thinker. Original sculpture by Auguste Rodin.
Still thinking...just like we left him at the National Gallery in Washington D.C. #Museumpalooza
Prize for the most impressive Lego sculpture goes to this giant Lego T-Rex. It made Tim the T-Rex very excited. #Museumpalooza #EverythingIsAwesome
"Everything is cool when you're part of a team!"
TRIP SUMMARY
PHILADELPHIA
Museums visited: 3
Additional locations of note:
- Love Park in JFK Plaza, featuring Robert Indiana's LOVE sculpture
- Time Restaurant, Whiskey Bar and Live Music Venue