Wait! It saved it!

Turns out the post was in my drafts!!!!!!!

Sooooo glad so glad!

Okay, pretend I didn't have the minor freak-out. Wow, I need to sleep, don't I? Here's what I wrote before:

~

Today's reading was hard for me. Especially the second article, just gonna be honest. All these men with their fancy language, and I feel like what they're saying isn't always so profound. Oh well, maybe it's just a style preference, and a lack of sleep this week.

The first article I read today was the Presidential Address by Henry Balfour. He said a lot of things that were similar to yesterday's Robinson article, like how there is a great need in each country for museums that tell of that particular country's history.

He also discusses the representation of the lower class, which I don't think Robinson did.

"These folk-museums and departments are devoted to...characteristic features of the more recent culture and social economy of the peasantry, the backbone of every nation."

I thought it was interesting that he brought this up, giving the museum yet another function -- a voice for people who might not otherwise have one. Obviously this has developed into a prominent idea for most people today. Art is here to give voice to everyone, and I was glad that Balfour recognized the need to prepare a place to tell the stories of the peasants.



He also talks a great deal in this article about the open-air museum, so I thought I'd find pictures of this phenomenon. I certainly was curious.


Scandinavia, where the open-air museum began:

(Skansen)

Hungary (Szentendre):

England: 

Japan: 

(Hakone)

http://julesdelicious.blogspot.com/2011/10/hakone-open-air-museum.html

(Just a blog with more pics from Hakone.)

So, I loved reading the websites for those open-air museums. That's fascinating. Since Balfour talked about the origin of the open-air museum, it was cool to see what sort of thing we still have today. It's very similar to Conner Prairie (maybe that is an open air museum?), and even things like the Fall Festival. Looks really fun though. I wish I could visit the colorful one in Hakone!