#museum archives

[ancientsstudies]

Sir John Soane's Museum by elliedyduch.

[alexspiegelland]

[coolshitinmesuems]

The Brown Box

Museum: Smithsonian Museum of American History

The Brown Box is the first at home game conceal, created in 1967 by Ralph Bear. He created the device while working for Sanders and Associates (a deface company) and the box would be licensed to the Magnavox TV. The brown box was the second prototype of what would become the Magnavox Odyssey. Sadly the game system would not be a huge hit, arguable because Magnavox treated the game conceal as gimmick and not a truly new invention.

You can find the article listing on the Smithsonian's website: https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/nmah_1301997

[hotdogtimemachine1]

Navigating the Past and Future Through History: A Reflection

In our journey through historical inquiry, three assigned texts have recently guided my exploration: "The History Manifesto" by Guldi & Armitage, "The Malayan Emergency" by Taylor, and "The Dangerous Art of Text Mining" by Guldi. Each of these works, though distinct in their focus, weave together a compelling narrative about the importance of historical perspective in addressing contemporary challenges.

The introductory selection from "The History Manifesto" urges a return to longue durée historical analysis to better understand and solve global issues such as climate change and inequality. Guldi and Armitage argue that a broader, more inclusive view of history can inform policy decisions and foster a more sustainable future.

In contrast, "The Malayan Emergency" delves into a specific historical episode, providing a detailed account of the guerrilla warfare in Malaya. Taylor's meticulous research offers insights into colonialism, military strategies, and the complexities of national liberation movements, highlighting the nuanced interplay between local and global dynamics.

Meanwhile, "The Dangerous Art of Text Mining" presents a methodological revolution, illustrating how digital tools can unearth new insights from historical texts. Guldi's work showcases the potential of text mining to reveal patterns and trends that traditional analysis might overlook, encouraging a more data-driven approach to historical research.

Together, these readings underscore the relevance of history in contemporary discourse. They demonstrate how historical knowledge, coupled with innovative methodologies, can illuminate the paths through current crises and towards future possibilities. As we navigate the complexities of the 21st century, these works remind us of the indispensable value of looking back to move forward.

Sources

Dan Edelstein, Paula Findlen, Giovanna Ceserani, Caroline Winterer, and Nicole Coleman, “Historical Research in a Digital Age: Reflection from the Mapping the Republic of Letters Project,” American Historical Review vol. 122 no. 2 (April 2017), 400-424

Jo Guldi, David Armitage. The History Manifesto. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2014, pp. 88-116.

Jo Guldi. The Dangerous Art of Text Mining. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2023, pp. 1-22.

[preserves42]

no context reference to the archive lecture I'm in atm

[thingsorganizedneatly]

Did you know that there is a Toaster Museum????

[keeper-of-the-lost-books]

Girlies listening to descriptions of the most horrifying things you’ve ever heard in their favorite podcast

(It’s me I’m girlies)

[dentistry2004]

My stuff in a show yesterday

[stra-tek]

This is one of the greatest things ever. Walk around every single version of the U.S.S. Enterprise in photorealistic 3D in your browser, from the Roddenberry Archive. On a phone you just see wraparound 3D pics. On a PC or laptop you get the full 3D interactive experience. They NEED to make this VR compatible, it'll be beyond words.

There are more Enterprises here than Tumblr will allow me photos of, and more will likely be added.

Here's the TOS Enterprise, which appears in several incarnations ("The Cage", "Where No Man Has Gone Before" and TOS proper as well as TAS with the second turbolift!), has the correct original graphics and is perfect.

This is the bridge from the unmade Star Trek: Phase II series (whose pilot episode "In Thy Image" was rewritten to become Star Trek: The Motion Picture), with it's legendary big comfy command sofa seat and tactical display bubble!

The Motion Picture, such an accurate recreation that there's even a very faint flicker on the rear-projection animated screens as seen in the movie.

Enterprise NX-01, looking exactly as it did in "Broken Bow"

Recognise this? It's the briefing room of Discovery season 2's version of the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701. Although at the front of the saucer on the "real" ship, here it's off the second bridge door which may well be where the set was IRL.

I wasn't expecting modern Trek to be represented equally as the originals in this project, but it is. This is the Enterprise from Strange New Worlds, with Pike's Ready Room located just off the bridge.

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier. My favourite version of the classic bridge, as a kid I drew all these control panels and stuck them on my bedroom walls. And now I can look around and look at them all close-up! They've even replicated the noticable TVs stuffed into the panels for the more complex animated screens.

The Enterprise-C bridge from "Yesterday's Enterprise". This one has always fascinated me, being a low-budget TV set (formerly the Enterprise-D battle bridge, originally built from the rain-damaged TMP set's back wall and redressed endlessly though TNG) representing TNG's immediate predecessor. In the episode they mostly shoot the back wall and imply the consoles make a huge circle, but here you can see the set's real dimensions and the weirdness of the classic movie helm/nav console in front of the TNG con/ops panels. I love it.

You know how much I love the Kelvin movies, so seeing this was amazing. For some reason the consoles don't have their screens lit (hopefully this'll be fixed soon), but you can see the saucer under the window and it's shiny and amazing.

The last thing I expected was the U.S.S. Titan-A/Enterprise-G bridge, but it's here. And the lights are on.

Other bridges available to explore which I'm out of pictures to show: The Enterprise-D (of course), Enterprise XCV-330 (the ringship, based on concept art for the unmade non-Trek series "Starship"), the Planet of the Titans U.S.S. Enterprise (again, based on concept art for a cool multi-levelled set) and the "launch" U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 (based on the very first piece of TOS bridge set concept art), the Enterprise-E, the Enterprise-F (seen on viewscreen for all of 2 minutes in Picard) and the U.S.S. Voyager NCC-74656!

Take a bow lads, you've done good. Now just add VR support!

That link again.

[focsle]

Thinkin about that one whaler who complained about his shipmates in his journal being like ‘no one on this ship reads educational books, no one reads the bible, everyone only wants pencils so they can draw ships and obscene pictures’ and I’m just like…..where are they….where are the dirty drawings this fellow was complaining about…I wanna see some 19th century whaler’s amateur pornographic scribbles so bad WHERE ARE THEY?

[amnhnyc]

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s… a dinosaur? Nope to all of the above. This Fossil Friday, let’s talk about pterosaurs—the first animals with bones to evolve powered flight. Though they were related to dinosaurs, pterosaurs evolved on a separate branch of the reptile family tree. They ruled the skies for more than 150 million years, evolving into dozens of different species. Some were as small as a paper airplane while others, like Pteranodon pictured here in the Museum's Hall of Late Dinosaurs circa 1940-1960, had a wingspan of more than 20 ft (6 m).

Along with other large pterosaurs, Pteranodon longiceps was first discovered in western Kansas, near a chalk formation called Monument Rocks. Today the region is dry, but at the time this species lived, about 85 million years ago, central North America was covered by a seaway. This large pterosaur likely spent its days flying over the sea. Unlike early species of pterosaurs, Pteranodon and many other Cretaceous-era species didn’t have any teeth. In fact, its genus name means “winged and toothless,” while the second name, longiceps, means “long-headed.”

Today, you can find Pteranodon in the Hall of Vertebrate Origins. We're open daily from 10 am-5:30 pm! Plan your visit.

Photo: Image no. ptc-217 © AMNH Library

[hotdogtimemachine1]

The Digital Lens: Reframing History in the Age of Technology

Welcome to my first blog post for my Digital History course! Today, we dive into the fascinating intersection of history and technology. We live in a world where digital tools and platforms are reshaping how we view, interpret, and engage with our past. This blog aims to explore the impacts and implications of this digital revolution on our understanding of history.

The Rise of Digital Archives One of the most significant advancements in digital history is the emergence of digital archives. These online repositories have democratized access to historical documents, photographs, and artifacts, previously confined to the dusty shelves of distant libraries and archives. By bringing these resources to our fingertips, digital archives have opened new doors for researchers, students, and the general public. However, they also pose challenges, such as the need for digital preservation and concerns about the representativeness and completeness of these collections.

Social Media: A Double-Edged Sword Social media platforms have become unexpected allies in the dissemination of historical knowledge. They allow for rapid sharing of historical facts, images, and narratives, creating a more inclusive and diverse historical discourse. Yet, this democratization comes with the risk of misinformation and oversimplification. It’s a battleground where historical accuracy often vies with sensationalism.

Big Data: A New Frontier in Historical Research The application of big data in history is transforming how we analyze the past. Data analytics and text mining enable historians to process vast amounts of information, uncovering patterns and connections that were previously impossible to discern. This quantitative approach to history offers a complementary perspective to traditional qualitative analyses but also raises questions about the interpretation and presentation of data-driven findings.

Virtual Reality and Video Games: Experiencing History Anew The use of virtual reality (VR) and video games in presenting historical events is perhaps the most immersive application of digital technology in history. These platforms offer a ‘walk through’ experience of historical moments, providing an emotional and experiential understanding of the past. However, the line between historical accuracy and entertainment often blurs in these mediums, raising debates about the ethical implications of ‘playing’ history.

Conclusion As we navigate the digital age, it’s crucial to critically assess these tools and methods. They offer incredible opportunities to enhance our understanding of history, but they also require us to be vigilant about the accuracy and integrity of the historical narratives they create. In future posts, I’ll delve deeper into specific examples and case studies, demonstrating how digital history is reshaping our understanding of the past.

Stay Tuned! Join me on this journey as we explore how technology is rewriting history, one digital page at a time.

[2001hz]

H.R Giger Museum (1998) Location: Gruyères, Switzerland

[marzipanandminutiae]

me when the motion sensor light in the museum bathroom turns off while I'm on the toilet: dark academia

[impulsepolls]

Count things you were genuinely interested in, even if you didn't finish/haven't finished it yet. Best estimate is fine.