Author
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Topic: Smithsonian establishing museum in Britain
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Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 02-07-2015 10:56 PM
The Smithsonian Institution is working to establish its first international museum outpost in Britain, the Associated Press reports. London's mayor and developers for the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park site have secured $50 million in private contributions for the Smithsonian, the world's largest museum and research complex, to help anchor in a new "Olympicopolis" cultural center that would open in 2021. A 40,000-square-foot Smithsonian gallery would feature permanent and rotating exhibits from Smithsonian sites including the National Air and Space Museum, National Museum of American History and National Museum of Natural History and various art galleries....museum officials said it's too soon to say whether the exhibits might sometimes include such Smithsonian treasures as Dorothy's ruby slippers from "The Wizard of Oz," the Apollo space capsule that carried astronauts to the moon, or artwork saved from the British burning of the White House. But Smithsonian leaders want to expand their reach to people who don't know much about the most popular U.S. museums. |
Rick Mulheirn Member Posts: 4167 From: England Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 02-08-2015 03:59 AM
Bring it on. There's no place like home... As much as I would like to see the Apollo 11 command module in London I can't see that ever happening. Apart from being an American national treasure... Charlie Brown is only a few miles across town already. |
gliderpilotuk Member Posts: 3398 From: London, UK Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 02-08-2015 09:31 AM
Well it needs SOMETHING to enliven the Olympic site and the so-called "legacy", otherwise this will turn into yet another Olympic white elephant. This is a step in the right direction - provided there's no more demands on the taxpayer. |
mode1charlie Member Posts: 1169 From: Honolulu, HI Registered: Sep 2010
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posted 02-08-2015 03:10 PM
I have a different problem with this plan: the branding and franchising of venerable institutions, which seems to be based on perceived opportunities to make money. The UK has its own world-class museums - what does a "Smithsonian UK" museum do that couldn't be accomplished with loans to existing UK museums? |
BetaCanum New Member Posts: 6 From: Lafayette, CA USA Registered: Jan 2015
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posted 02-09-2015 01:56 PM
quote: Originally posted by Rick Mulheirn: As much as I would like to see the Apollo 11 command module in London I can't see that ever happening.
If Tutenkhamen's death mask is prohibited from leaving Egypt by law — as it now is — I think my countrymen and I won't feel bad that Columbia shouldn't ever leave the United States. |