One of the first places I visited was the Human Body exhibit of the museum. I was immediately reminded of Week 4's blog post about Medicine, Technology, and Art. This exhibit displayed many different aspects of the human body, whether it was the control center, reproductive center, or response center. What I realized was the importance of art and technology in displaying the human body, which is in fact what medicine is built upon. The different technological displays allows the viewers to learn more about the intricacies of the human anatomy, while the art creates a clear picture of what exactly the body looks like. This is similar to how Dr. Vesna lectured that technology like X-rays, MRIs, and CT scans create an art form that allow doctors to diagnose certain conditions. Without the combination of these three concepts, the audience would not have a holistic view.
(A selfie with the human body exhibit, specifically the control center)
Another exhibit I visited was the Space section of the California Science Center. This corner of the museum essentially traced the history of the spaceship and how it came to be such an integral part of our space travels today. What I came to realize by looking at the variety of spaceships and how they have progressed over the years, is the importance of mathematical concepts and art in this realm of technology. Many of the plaques that describe each spaceship would have a variety of information about the dimensions, weight, height, and specific requirements that the rocket had in order for it to fly into space. In addition, aerospace engineers can attest that without intricate mathematics and physics calculations, space travel would be impossible. Furthermore, the exact shift in design shows exactly how art played a huge role in space travel. Many spaceships to begin with were super bulky and wide; however, as time progressed, aerospace designers and engineers began to realize that they had to change the design to a much more slim and sleek one.
(One of the first spaceships designed on display)
Finally, I visited a small section that displayed interesting aspects of the city of Los Angeles. There were many small exhibits, but what really caught my eye was the giant map of the city. I think that maps in itself are pieces of art in its purest form, used to help humans understand and get around their surroundings. That being said, the museum combines the art displayed in a map with the use of technology (mini telescopes that allow viewers to zoom in on certain parts of the map and read up on those locations) to give their patrons the best experience.
(Map of Los Angeles that allowed viewers to zoom in on certain areas)
Overall, I would recommend giving the California Science Center a visit, especially if you're interested in scientific discoveries and how art and technology play a role in science. I hope that these experiences I have acquired from the museum will help me design my midterm project. One warning though: you will probably look out of place, however, because there were many parents that brought their young children to the museum. Although the museum felt designed for a younger audience, viewing the exhibits looking for connections between art, technology, and science really opened my eyes to how these concepts can intertwine even in places where we would least expect it.
References
Connett, Christina. “What Maps Tell Us.” Khan Academy, www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/introduction-ap-arthistory/a/what-maps-tell-us2.
Lucas, Jim. “What Is Aerospace Engineering?” LiveScience, Purch, 4 Sept. 2014, www.livescience.com/47702-aerospace-engineering.html.
Vesna, Victoria. Medicine Body Lecture. Video. 26 Oct 2012.
Waterhouse, Daniel. “How Technology Is Merging with the Human Body.” TechCrunch, TechCrunch, 22 Dec. 2016, techcrunch.com/2016/12/22/how-technology-is-merging-with-the-human-body/.
