The Brain, Plus

I learned a lot about the brain today at the American Museum of Natural History, my favorite museum of all time. Like most visitors to the museum I started going there as a kid.

I went with a group of other 9 and 10-year-olds led by a young man who was a camp counselor during the summer and who made spending money during the winter by taking us off our parents hands for a Saturday afternoon. We did a lot of outdoor stuff but any time it rained you could find as us at one museum or another in New York, but mostly at the Natural History museum.

It's changed a lot since I was a kid but it always has some reminders of my first time. Like the giant redwood tree trunk with all its rings showing how old, old, old it was before it was cut down or fell. I never did find out which. And the dusty hall of the American Indian is still there although under renovation. Is it still called that or have they changed it to the Hall of the Native American? I hope not.

The new exhibit we saw today, through the courtesy of friends who volunteer there, was The Brain. I knew something about the brain before but it never hurts to know more. And I'm probably firing off more neurons right now by writing this as opposed to just vegging out. They say exercising the brain keeps it healthy. I hope so.

But to me the main exhibit at this magnificent institution today was the people who were there. The place was jumping with kids, parents, teenagers, tourists from all over the world, all excited to be there and anxious to see what they could see and wonder about.

Oh, and did I say it was raining?