Prof. Boerner's Explorations

Edited by Gerald Boerner

Commentary:

Certain museums stand out in our minds. There is th Louvre in Paris, British Museum in London, and the Hermitage in St. Petersburg. Our Smithsonian Institution on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. may be the class of this select class. Why? Because it is not a singular set of collections, but a group museums that celebrate all that is excellence in art, science, engineering, and the cultural diversity of our country. It is at the same time a research center, an educational resource to our schools, and an opportunity for the public to view collections reflecting the emergence of our country as a nation.

How did we develop such a wealth of museum collections? It started following the death in 1829 of James Smithson, a British Chemist and scientist. Smithsons’ will called for his estate to go to his nephew as long as he had children before the nephew died. When the nephew died in 1935 without heirs, the estate was to be awarded to the United States for the — "Establishment for the increase & diffusion of Knowledge among men". Andrew Jackson was informed of the award of “seed” money for the Smithsonian Institution.

“Smithson dedicated his life to investigating the natural world, and visited Florence, Paris, Saxony, the Swiss Alps, and many other parts of Europe to find crystals and minerals on which he could perform experiments – including diluting, grinding, igniting, and even chewing and sniffing them – to discover and classify their elemental properties.”  (Wikipedia)

Now, let us get on with our exploration of the Smithsonian Institution… GLB

These Introductory Comments are copyrighted:
Copyright©2011 — Gerald Boerner — All Rights Reserved

[ 3680 Words ]

Quotations Related to SMITHSONIAN:

“The turntable is now an instrument at the Smithsonian.”
— Ajay Naidu

The Smithsonian Institute is one of the most popular agencies of government in the United States“.”
— Norm Dicks

“The Smithsonian museums are among this country’s most endearing treasures and I look forward to helping maintain and enhance their coveted works of art.”
— Xavier Becerra

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Edited by Gerald Boerner

    

Commentary:

The National Mall is the site of our nation’s tribute to our leaders and warriors from our biggest wars. Today we are celebrating the building and dedication of the Lincoln Memorial. It reminds us of his greatness through his Statue and words from some of his greatest addresses. Included is the Gettysburg Address and his Second Inaugural Address. Located nearby are the World War II Veterans Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial , and Vietnam Veterans Memorial. This is a very consecrated site!

On this Memorial Day, let us take a minute to say a special prayer to thos dedicated soldiers from all of our past and present wars. We live in a free country because of the sacrifices made by the men celebrated by these memorials. Let us, above all, remember that ultimate sacrifice made by the great emancipator, Abraham Lincoln.

“The National Mall is an open-area national park in downtown Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. The National Mall is a unit of the National Park Service (NPS), and is administered by the National Mall and Memorial Parks unit. The term "National Mall" commonly includes areas that are officially part of West Potomac Park and Constitution Gardens to the west, and often is taken to refer to the entire area between the Lincoln Memorial and the United States Capitol, with the Washington Monument providing a division slightly west of the center. The National Mall receives approximately 24 million visitors each year.”  (Wikipedia)

Now, let’s plunge into our exploration of the building and dedication of the Lincoln Memorial…  GLB

These Introductory Comments are copyrighted:
Copyright©2011 — Gerald Boerner — All Rights Reserved

[ 4109 Words ]
    

Quotations Related to MEMORIAL:

“And there’s the Victoria Memorial, built as a memorial to Victoria.”
— David Dimbleby

“Every memorial in its time has a different goal.”
— Maya Lin

“For famous men have the whole earth as their memorial.”
— Pericles

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