Today I worked at the room for summer activities for kids in the basement at the Museum of Archaeology and news spread quickly among the employees that there was a cute little kid (about 4-5 years old) who was intensely interested in prehistoric times, especially pertaining to the different species of humans there had been over the ages, e.g. Homo sapiens (i.e. us), Homo erectus, Homo neanderthalis, etc. He'd asked a colleague at the exhibitions about what things that belonged to the various times in which these people live(d). Now downstairs in the basement, after you've entered through the entrance to the activity room, there's a "time machine" which is sort of a small room with mirrors in the ceiling, floor and walls with several A/V effects such as brightly-colored lights, a robotic/computerized voice counting down and an animation demonstrating traveling back in time to the Middle Ages. Now this time machine only goes back in time and you enter from by the stairs and come out on the other side by pushing a door.
As I was downstairs combing some wool, the said 4 year-old comes up to me and asks me: "How do we get back to the Homo sapiens time?" With this he referred to the present instead of the Middle Ages/Iron Age/Stone Age. He continued:
"Do you have to go through the time machine all over again?" To which I replied, prepared to use my imagination to the max:
"Well, you walk out that door over there." I pointed to the entrance to the activity room. Clearly he wasn't really very impressed. I mentally concocted a whole explanation on how this one single door could let you go to the present time when you had to take the time machine in order to go back in time, but I didn't get the chance to present it to him as he asked me before I got the chance to speak:
"Can you take the time machine over again and step out onto the other side to go back to Homo sapiens time?"
To which I smiled to myself, as it was slightly difficult to open the time machine from the other side. "Well, if you can open the door, then yes."
His mother chuckled at my remark, but this did not hinder the little adventurer from going back towards the time machine. Whether or not he managed to get inside, I don't know, but I imagine he did despite the lack of a doorknob.
Mind you, the time machine is one of the most popular attractions at the museum, so I imagine he would use any excuse he could come up with to have another go at it again. And to be honest, I don't blame him. :-) It later turned out that he and his mom had been at the museum for 4 hours straight and that the little kid really didn't want to leave, as he wanted to play even more.
Times such as this sure give you great feedback that the work you do is appreciated. And besides, it's fun to see the kids so into dressing up, playing and testing out the various techniques in making fire and grinding oats. Kinda makes you wanna be in their situation as well. Still, working there sure gets you close to it.
Signing off (happily),
Elise
No comments:
Post a Comment