I spent most the latter part of the afternoon struggling with the strategic planning of my escape-route from Tucson. In avoidance and a bit of loneliness (you can take the girl out of the desert but you can’t take the desert out of the girl), I went over to NMAAHC to say hi to my friend Elon, who works at the front desk. She lifted her finger to silence my usual loud laugh-that-accompanies-the-greeting, then proceeded to point toward the large conference room behind me. Expecting it to be empty (as it usually is) I was shocked to see every seat was filled. Projected on the screen was a colorful graphic drawing of a building – The Building. The Museum Building.
They were holding a meeting with The architects. I was both captivated and embarrassed. I could hear their laughter, their important laughter. I was dead quiet (even movie theaters don't silence me)
Happenstance has caught me in unexpected situations. This time I have deodorant on but I couldn’t shake off the feeling of, I am the nosy little intern. Worse, I am the little Asian intern from the smallest unit of the Smithsonian who always barges into NMAAHC asking a million questions and uses their color printer (leave it to the Asians to be missing the yellow cartridge) - and ssshhhh about the printer, I'm going to be a donor soon, I promise!!
There is a moment when you piece together present experience with foresight and the outcome is, “holy shit I’m going to tell my grandkids this!!” That moment happened shortly after I realized the breadth and scope of what was happening before me. Just a glass panel away, the NMAAHC executives and Freelon Adjaye Bond/SmithGroup were discussing the architectural plans for the future Museum. The Museum. Wow. When, when in life does one get to witness (no matter how far or clear) the making, the beginnings of a museum???
Wow. We always walk in them when they’re already built, when the marble is cracked beneath our feet, when the walls are confused from holding 17th century works and 21st century works. When the coat room has changed to digital lockers, when the guards can claim tenure-ship, when docents are second generation, when carpets are stained with thousands of trampling school shoes, when interactive installations overthrew Rodin's, when I entered a child and left an adult.
I will tell my grandchildren that I was there. That I saw the makings of The Museum before it was built, that I heard the laughter it influenced before it took shape - when it was this strong, vibrant, and eager spirit waiting to complete it's purpose for the people that would enter. And the largest Wow factor is realizing that all of us tiny tiny interns have just as strong and vibrant a laughter...as we're all waiting to be built.
