New Smithsonian Exhibit - "Mirror, Mirror for Us All"

[Scootin'By]

I just saw that the Smithsonian's American History Museum has a new Disney exhibit to celebrate 100 years of Disney, it's called "Mirror, Mirror for Us All: Disney Parks and the American Narrative / Experience."

It seems like it's a pretty small exhibit, possibly just one room. I wondered if anyone had been yet and whether it was worth making the trek downtown. I used to see little exhibits like this all the time when I still worked downtown, but those days seem to be gone.

 

[kanerf]

I am across the street. I might wander down there some time to look it over. Wait for it to cool down a bit though. It is not fun out there at the moment.

 

[LuvOrlando]

I love Disney and all as a fun part of pop culture but I wouldn't put it in the Smithsonian any more than I would put Animal Kingdom in National Geographic. Peculiar to have an amusement park held to the same stature as Frederick Douglass unexpected in an off-putting way.

Isn't WDW & DL etc all a monument to itself?

 

[NotUrsula]

I love Disney and all as a fun part of pop culture but I wouldn't put it in the Smithsonian any more than I would put Animal Kingdom in National Geographic. Peculiar to have an amusement park held to the same stature as Frederick Douglass unexpected in an off-putting way.

Isn't WDW & DL etc all a monument to itself?

Why on earth not? Disney has been a huge influence on American popular culture; Mickey Mouse is one of the most recognized imaginary characters anywhere in the world. Hundreds of thousands of US troops during WW2 were trained using educational films produced by the Disney Company as well. To a lot of people in this world, Disney = quintessentially American.

Museums and libraries are not just for serious, high-minded topics; those are there, of course, and very important, but museums also teach us about cultural touchstones and the common things that collectively give us joy, including films, art, and popular music. (FWIW, the Smithsonian and the Library of Congress both have extensive collections of comic books.) My kids have been enthusiastic museum visitors since they were old enough to learn to look but not touch (unless it was an interactive exhibit, of course.) They still love going to museums, because there is always something new to discover, and the Smithsonian is one of the best you will ever experience.

One of the things my kids love best about the Smithsonian is a sculpture that was meant to be high-minded, but these days tends to make just about everyone who sees it crack up. It's the Greenough statue of George Washington in the American History museum, or as it was once commonly known around Washington, DC: "Naked George." It really has to be seen in person to properly appreciate the scale, but this is a great story about the history of it: https://featherschwartzfoster.blog/2019/05/20/enthroned-washington-the-naked-george/

 

[AppleDumpling]

Why on earth not? Disney has been a huge influence on American popular culture; Mickey Mouse is one of the most recognized imaginary characters anywhere in the world. Hundreds of thousands of US troops during WW2 were trained using educational films produced by the Disney Company as well. To a lot of people in this world, Disney = quintessentially American.

I totally agree. Disney is classic Americana. We too are a museum-loving family and have been to this museum many times. There are several exhibits related to the entertainment field, television and movie props such as the ruby slippers from the Wizard of Oz, Kermit the Frog muppet, and Archie Bunker’s chair, as well as sports memorabilia and other pop culture items. All of it is part of American history.

It's the Greenough statue of George Washington in the American History museum, or as it was once commonly known around Washington, DC: "Naked George."

LOL, when DS was young, he also called it Naked George Washington. That statue was our meeting place if we ever got separated. It is somewhat startling when you first see it.

 

[Mysterian]

I agree that Disney's had a definite cultural impact. To quote Dr. Jones: "It belongs in a museum!"

 

[tetera]

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