Every once in a while, something happens that renders the familiar unfamiliar. I've been going to the Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum for decades. First, as a boy appreciative of the science of it all. And later, as the family member with relatives visiting from all over the world eager to see what is in Washington D.C. Although I love the National Gallery of Art, the Air and Space is the most visited museum in the Mall complex. Imagine my surprise when we came into these:
1. Friendship 7 capsule (John Glenn's Mercury capsule)
2. Tail sections of The Spirit of St. Louis (Charles Lindberg) and Space Ship One
3. The Bell X-1, the first plane to break the sound barrier (Chuck Yeager, pilot)
Apparently, every museum dusts up its displays every once in a while. When the Smithsonian does it, well, it may not be pretty in the conventional sense, but after decades of looking at the objects locked in one place, change is interesting. Thanks for looking.
