Museum of the Week, Week of October 30

MIT Museum
http://web.mit.edu/museum/

The MIT Museum in Cambridge, MA is one of the more recognizable University museums in the Boston area. It hosts a large variety of events and has both a strong technology focus and a strong concentration on technology with development connected to MIT. Its admission is affordable - $4.00 for students and $8.50 generally, but the fact that it has admission is a bit of a drawback. It does hold free admission on Sundays and the second Friday evening of each month, though. Parking nearby is metered, but there are enough bus stops and subway stops in the area, that no one really needs to bring a car to the area - who wants to risk their lives driving through Boston anyway?

The collection speaks most clearly to tech junkies and MIT nerds, but anyone who likes seeing robots and learning about the scientific history of the last few decades will enjoy at least taking a quick jaunt through the halls. There are some great interactives including a musical staircase, simple "future-of-robotics" drawing exercises for kids (or childish adults), and moving sculptures that play at the touch of a button.

The highlight of this museum, though, is definitely the attendants. There are a number of gallery attendants standing in each room milling around waiting to hear people wonder aloud about an exhibit. When they do, they snap into action and explain a piece in the collection - whether solicited or not. I prefer the attendant that rather than waiting to be asked a question or asking whether a patron has a question, simply explains the item as if they were another label on the wall the visitor hadn't yet seen.

This place is totally worth a visit - at least during one of its many programs, or quickly one Friday evening. But if you disagree, or are simply disturbed by Kismet up there, please let me hear about it...