OCTOBER 28, 2008

Night At The Newseum

Last night I had the chance to visit the Newseum in Washington, DC. It was actually an event for the Washington Wizards where fans got to meet the players and get their autographs. The venue is absolutely amazing - from the breathtaking views to the elaborate exhibits, I was very impressed. The location is so desirable, people even have their weddings there! Although it was very cool to meet players like Caron Butler and DeShawn Stevenson, I was more excited to explore the seven levels of displays.

While it’s not every day I get to meet famous athletes, the pieces of the torn-down Berlin Wall, a portion of an antenna from the World Trade Center, and the Pulitzer Prize photo gallery did not disappoint. Seeing these artifacts that were made so familiar to us by the media was a very surreal experience. I had to keep reminding myself that these items were the real thing, not just pictures.

Not everyone shares my opinion of the Newseum though. For some people, the Wizards players could have been signing autographs in the parking garage across the street and it would have been just the same. As soon as they got their memorabilia signed they got out of there, not taking any time to enjoy the free admission (which is normally $20 for adults).

A few of the basketball players had a table set up right in front of the Berlin Wall display. Fans were lined up in front of it waiting to get autographs and barely any of them even looked up at it! This had me wondering: In a world where we can get our news and information as it happens 24/7, is seeing a piece of history not as cool anymore? Will schools soon opt for Apple Store field trips over a day at the Smithsonian? Is technology in and history out?

I certainly hope not.