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I love the City Museum, but I don't think I'm in love with it anymore. I went today and...I don't know, it didn't feel the way it once did. It's lost a bit of its, edge, maybe? I remember going a few years back and it all felt "off the radar" and even a bit bohemian. Now that the Museum is so successful, crawling with tourists and children, some of its mystique seems to have faded.
I remember when the second floor was where you could pick up a paintbrush and experiment or watch an artist put something together before your eyes. Glass blowing demonstrations also took place on the second floor, up at the northern end. Old seats from a theatre sloped up and away from the demonstration area, giving the artists and their kilns a stage where they performed sparkling magic. Orbs of glass, available for purchase, twinkled in the sun that streamed through the large windows. The Children's Aquarium has taken the place of all that. While the aquarium is fine, I missed seeing kids and parent's, dressed in paint-soaked smocks and sitting at a table that was too small for all of them, carefully applying sparkle to their paper mache animals.
The architecture portion of the museum is still a favorite. So many pieces of St. Louis' past can be found here. Unfortunately, today's excursion was almost ruined when some kid kept yelling that my favorite section of the museum is so "gay". It didn't help that his father kept telling his son that "maybe you're gay." Somehow, I can't help but hope that being gay at the City Museum isn't a bad thing.
Before you comment on how great and wonderful the City Museum is and how I'm a stupid hateful person, let me reiterate that I do love the CM. However, in a way, I feel it's also become a victim of its own success. These days it feels like a Discovery Zone without all the padding. I'm glad the CM has been successful and contunues to thrive, but I can't help but think that some of the CM's old magic is probably gone forever.
St. Louis' saved architectural past.
I remember when the second floor was where you could pick up a paintbrush and experiment or watch an artist put something together before your eyes. Glass blowing demonstrations also took place on the second floor, up at the northern end. Old seats from a theatre sloped up and away from the demonstration area, giving the artists and their kilns a stage where they performed sparkling magic. Orbs of glass, available for purchase, twinkled in the sun that streamed through the large windows. The Children's Aquarium has taken the place of all that. While the aquarium is fine, I missed seeing kids and parent's, dressed in paint-soaked smocks and sitting at a table that was too small for all of them, carefully applying sparkle to their paper mache animals.
The architecture portion of the museum is still a favorite. So many pieces of St. Louis' past can be found here. Unfortunately, today's excursion was almost ruined when some kid kept yelling that my favorite section of the museum is so "gay". It didn't help that his father kept telling his son that "maybe you're gay." Somehow, I can't help but hope that being gay at the City Museum isn't a bad thing.
Before you comment on how great and wonderful the City Museum is and how I'm a stupid hateful person, let me reiterate that I do love the CM. However, in a way, I feel it's also become a victim of its own success. These days it feels like a Discovery Zone without all the padding. I'm glad the CM has been successful and contunues to thrive, but I can't help but think that some of the CM's old magic is probably gone forever.
St. Louis' saved architectural past.
2 comments:
By 
, at
4:06 PM
Must say I felt something similar the last time I was there. Can't put my finger on it, but yeah, it's a little different, a little slicker.
Terrific shots.
By
Matthew, at
5:02 AM
neat pix - it feels fresh to relook @ the city museum in that photo spread.
that being said, have you heard about the waterpark on top of the building. rumor has it this challenge to all those with a frenzied fear of heights will adorn the building anytime now... sounds like it'll be "cool when it's hot" anytime now...