Somehow, I made it through the first three months of my fellowship without going to the museum – despite the fact that DC has one of the finest museums [over 70 of them] and they are mostly free to access!
At first, I rejected the idea of visiting the museum. I wanted to see something “cool”. Something exciting and fast-paced [I have no idea what that could be, really]. I just wanted to see something else.
At first, when people recommend that I visit the museum, I think of old, dull, rusty stuff that wouldn’t hold my interest for long. However, at the Global Leadership Lab Immersion [GLLI] weekend, I decided to take the plunge to visit one of the museums. I have become curious over the months on what makes visiting the museums an amazing experience.
My first stop was the National Archives which completely blew my mind. It wasn’t as “boring” as I had thought. Although pictures were not allowed to be taken inside the building, the images and experience are all captured in my heart.
While I wasn’t able to tour the whole of the museum, I ended up spending most of my time in the section that showcased how women/gender-equality was fought for, up till the attainment of the 19th amendment in 1919 which allowed women to vote for the first time in the United States. I learnt how women fought their way through racial and gender discrimination over the years, the Equal Rights Amendment [ERA], and why it remains important for this present generation to keep fighting for women’s right and gender equality.
One thing I liked most about my visit to the museum was that it was an interactive one. I learnt about a part of the history of the United States through game and feature animation, videos, and even seeing texts and artefacts from the past that symbolizes the struggle and freedom of our present society.
My first experience at the museum was amazing. I plan to make more visits to different museums in the future. Hopefully, I will become better, wiser, and more knowledgeable about the United States and the world after my tours.
