LA Fridays with Bob and Tom: Museum of Jurrasic Technology
LA Fridays with Bob and Tom
Week 11: Museum of Jurrasic Technology
This week we travel to the Museum of Jurassic Technology located at 9341 Venice Blvd in the Palms district of LA. It was founded by David Hildebrand Wilson and Diana Drake Wilson in 1988. Wikipedia states the museum calls itself an educational institution dedicated to the advancement of knowledge and the public appreciation of the Lower Jurassic, whatever that is. This museum is not your “usual” museum. Its collection includes a mixture of artistic, scientific, ethnographic, and historic, as well as some unclassified exhibits, and the diversity of its offering evokes the cabinets of curiosities that were the 16th-century predecessors of modern natural history museums. Now that’s a mouthful which translates to, the museum contains an unusual collection of exhibits and objects with varying and perhaps uncertain degrees of authenticity. The NY Times critic Edward Rothstein described it as a “museum about museums” and summoned up our reaction after visiting, “What kind of place is this?” One reviewer explained the museum as a series of sensations rather than authentic exhibits. That’s kind. It does have a very interesting medical section. We were glad we went but not so sure we’d go again.
There is a rooftop tearoom where you will be served tea and cookies and have an opportunity to discuss with a friendly staff person what you saw and the meaning of the exhibits. If you visit be prepared for a very perplexing experience. Meter parking is available.
Let us know what you think.
lafridayswithbobandtom@gmail.com
ROBERT BLAUNSTEIN, PhD BIO
Robert (Bob) is a PhD physicist whose career has spanned academia, government and private industry. As a faculty member of the Department of Physics at the University of Tennessee, a Branch Chief at the United States Department of Energy and Vice President of an American International Group Company, his scientific endeavors include radiation physics, environmental research, environmental insurance and nanotechnology.
Originally from the East Coast, Bob was seduced by his sons and their families (and the California weather) to leave Washington, DC after retiring in 2010. While recovering from culture shock, Bob found many outlets to reconcile his eclectic interests. As a member of Senior Scholars for over six years he continues to take courses in a myriad of subjects ranging from film to art history to brain science and finds great intellectual and social rewards in Senior Scholars and the Plato Society.
As a latent artist, he sketches scenes about town once a week with an artist friend from his college days and is attempting to learn to play the electric guitar.
On moving to Los Angeles, he found Tom Jacobson, another recent transplant. They became great friends and decided to explore their new town together leading to over 113 sites in our city. Dubbed “LA Fridays with Bob and Tom” they are happy to share their experiences with others.
Bob lives in Brentwood with Phyllis, his wife of 56 years, an education policy executive. They have two sons and four grandchildren, one of whom plays a guitar a lot better than Bob.
THOMAS JACOBSON BIO
Thomas (Tom) is an attorney who practiced trial and constitutional law in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Born in 1938 in Bamberg Germany, he was one of the youngest passengers on the ill-fated voyage of the Damned, the SS St. Louis, turned away from Cuba in 1939.
Tom represented local civil rights activists and Dick Gregory and twice argued cases successfully in the United States Supreme Court. In 1970 he was the Democratic candidate for Wisconsin Attorney General.
Retiring in 2008, he and wife, Peggy, moved to California to join their two sons and four grandchildren, and enjoy the warm weather.
Tom has kept busy as a member of Senior Scholars and Plato for the last six years keeping his brain stimulated and active. Yoga and swimming have kept his body in shape.
