The Space Shuttle was really fascinating. The museum has made it as much of a personal experience as possible. One is able to rrrreach to touch the bald tires, complete with gouges and scrapes from the multiple landings on rough tarmac. Pay $5 and one may take a flight simulator ride to feel what space might be like if gravity existed in the bleak, black expanse. The shuttle is raised off the floor so the visitor might walk beneath and around the massive plane while marveling at the numerous scorch marks that created the re-entry 'scars'. The timeline running along 3 walls tells the story of each mission the Endeavor journeyed on, along with pictures of the crew members or aspects of the missions.
"Mysteries of Egypt" opened with re-enactments of Carter searching for King Tut's tomb, then moves into a Soarin' Over California scene flying over the turbulent waters that begin the Nile River. It was impressive how much water runs North to establish Egyptian life.
The Cleopatra Exhibition opened with a short video about the discoveries found within the submerged city of Canopus and the search for the Pharaoh Queen Cleopatra. While the relics they pulled from the waters are quite fascinating there was much conjecture and speculation. The recordings we heard were creatively done, many in the first person as if the Queen was giving the tour. The speculation came when they described artifacts as ones Cleopatra may have walked past, may have worshiped at, or may have worn something similar to the one displayed. I found it thought provoking that the tour attempted to create an image of this queen as one who was a poor, loving mother, and misunderstood ruler who just did what was justifiably necessary for the good of others. What I noticed was that she lived in a city similar to Canopus that was filled with "lascivious behavior and revelry" and had no sense of decorum or morals. She was a manipulative woman who used her children to maintain power and duped men to attain what she desired. Her children were fathered by men who were enemies, leading me to think that she used them to create a bond that would instill her good standing with whomever may have power at the moment. My uneducated guess is that those who still search for her tomb may never find it. The powers of Rome who conquered Egypt hated Cleopatra enough to have every statue of her likeness destroyed. If the queen died to keep from being taken prisoner, Rome would have wanted to see her body; I doubt they would have given her a burial fitting an Egyptian monarch. Though our romantic imaginations would wish otherwise, I wouldn't doubt that she was buried like a commoner, or tossed to the fishes or dogs.
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