I had some business to attend to in Bern, Switzerland a few days ago, and afterward, I took the chance to go see the Historisches Museum Bern (Historical Museum of Bern) and its Einstein permanent exhibit. Even though once again, I was dashing through in the one hour before the museum closed for the evening, I really enjoyed seeing all sorts of cool medieval artifacts in the history wing of the building and reading about Einstein's life in the permanent exhibit. I hadn't known about Einstein's legacy as an activist for democracy, civil rights, and ending lynching in the United States.
Mind-bending mirrored staircase (much cooler in real life than in this photo)
I really wish i had more time to look at things more carefully because there was so much to see. I was especially impressed by the interior staircase leading into the Einstein exhibit-- it was tiled in large mirrors on all sides, and it really felt like I was inside an MC Escher painting (this one). I probably could have just stood on that staircase all day, staring in wonder.
I love this big, round painting, "Child of Munich"
This painting, the Münchner Kindl ("Child of Munich") appeared as part of the Einstein exhibit as he had attended school in Munich. I fell in love with it... something about the facial expressions of the figures really captivated me.
Museums in Switzerland often are housed in ancient castles, and there is a feeling of history in every room and corridor. Many of the buildings are several centuries old, as evidenced by the extremely low doorways made in a time when people were much smaller in stature. Stepping through one of these tiny doors is like walking into another time... a very unusual feeling.
No comments:
Post a Comment