Post date: Nov 26, 2011 4:02:26 PM
This weekend we visited the Oakland Museum of California to see their exhibit on John Muir and the Sierra Nevada. It's a great exhibit; one that allows you to explore Muir and his writings, teachings, and impact on America. What's not to like
But there's more--the exhibit also draws attention to some of the current heirs to Muir's philiosphy: those fighting the good fight to preserve our natural places and keep our wildernesses alive: from Alaska to Oakland, High Sierra to deep caverns.
And while this exhibit is well worth seeing, so is the rest of the OMCA. The history wing has wonderful exhibits from every era of California history. To start, there is a stunning collection of Native American baskets and other implements. And then you can follow the state from era to era, ranchos to gold mining, railroads to depression, WWII to today. Along the way, you meet many of the ethic groups that have helped form our culture and society.
It's a great example of good museum curation, and brought to mind a quote from John Muir that was written with wilderness in mind:
"When we try to pick out any thing by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe."
True of nature. True of California.
Here's a link to the OMCA Muir exhibit: http://museumca.org/muir