WPC: Nostalgia
The Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge for the week of September 30, 2016.
For this challenge, show us what nostalgia means to you — perhaps a moment or scene that makes you feel wistful, happy, sad, or somehow longing for the past. It might be with friends, family, or by yourself — anywhere, anytime of year.
Foucault pendulum, California Academy of Sciences
The Academy of Sciences has changed quite a lot since I visited it with my parents back in the late 1960s! I have disconnected yet strong memories of a much larger African Hall (life-like taxidermy animals set against exotic painted backdrops), and of an atrium where we looked down into a pit simply crawling with alligators — who most of the time seemed to be napping, and yet were still a thrill for me to gape at.
And there was the Foucault pendulum. I would hang on the railing (the rails were vertical back then rather than horizontal) and could barely tear myself away even though I knew there was so much other great stuff to see. I just HAD to see one of those little pins knocked over!
It was cool to be able to revisit the place this past August, even despite all the changes… or maybe because of them — since a museum must of course be kept up to date and fresh for its visitors. And I definitely enjoyed the new experiences offered.
But my very first stop as soon as I paid my admission and stepped inside? The Foucault pendulum, of course.
Categories: photo-challenge, Photography, travel
I have great childhood memories of this place as well.
I remember my family visit to the Ca Academy of sciences my little brother got his head stuck between the rails. I don’t remember how he got unstuck but it was a big deal. Some of the staff had to get involved and was really something. I had completely forgotten about that until I saw the pendulum. I found that to be quite an amazing thing. I’m still trying to comprehend it but it’s one of those bigger than life’s experiences. Cool posting, thanks… Really enjoyed.
Wow, what a flashback! I grew up in San Diego and there was a Pendulum at the Museum in Balboa Park. I was also fascinated and wanted to go there every time we went to the Zoo! Thanks for this memory. It bought my Dad right back to life!!
There was one of these in Des Moines.