I’ve spent hours surrounded by marble and bone. Both ancient and weathered, they’ve told me stories of the past that you can’t get from any other source. From the Field Museum in Chicago to the British Museum in London, my childhood has been characterized by being surrounded by a variety of artifacts. Although often forced there in earlier years, these places have shaped me into who I am today, structuring my interests and values. Being introduced to museums sparked my interest in history, art, and more, pushing me to learn every tiny fact that I could. It ingrained within me a curiosity that I carry with me today 

When I was in preschool and first gazed upon Sue, the Field Museum’s resident T. Rex, I was mesmerized. Dinosaurs had never been my thing, but still, her pointed teeth and massive size were terrifying yet awe-inspiring. My body could hardly keep up with my mind as I rushed to view this creature from every possible angle. This same excitement filled me as I raced through the exhibits, begging my dad to read me the facts in the Hall of Gems or at the Evolving Planet display. History was being brought to life before my eyes, towering before me and making me realize how small we were in comparison to our world. I’ve always been someone who loves to learn, but being stuck in a classroom quickly gets repetitive and tiring. Museums allowed me to see and experience what I was learning. The Field Museum, and any history museum I’ve ever been to, has given me and the people around me an appreciation for life. The life we evolved from, the life in our soil, the life that surrounds us. Exposing kids to these kinds of experiences crafts a love of learning and a love of life for them, something that we need now more than ever.

While history museums and giant dinosaur displays enthralled me, the same couldn’t be said for the Art Institute of Chicago. The paintings and statues, which often did not have cool pointy teeth, gave me no interest at a young age; I’d much rather have been anywhere else. Still, my parents took me there, and to many other art museums. Deaf to my cries of boredom, they knew something that I was naive and blind to. They knew the value of art. Despite my initial dislike, as I grew older and my interests developed, I also reluctantly grew a love for the Art Institute. The paintings that had once seemed so boring now looked beautiful, and I realized that my parents’ insistence on bringing me to other art museums had helped me value those creations. From seeing my favorite Greek myths represented before me to seeing art that inspired the books I love, the Art Institute became a place I found myself constantly wanting to return to. Where I used to see cold, unfeeling stone, I now saw emotions; Cupid and Psyche gently holding each other, or the grief shown in a crypt made for a loved one. Apart from just enjoying the museum for the visuals, I also started to understand the value of art. I was seeing the things I was interested in, but I was also being exposed to new styles and art from other countries. In seeing art from all over the world, I was beginning to understand other cultures in a way you can’t from a textbook. Their myths, funeral rites, jewelry and even just what plates they would use. Appreciating all kinds of art is appreciating all kinds of perspectives, and bringing children to these places encourages this appreciation. 

I believe there is immense value in introducing children to art and history. They’re two subjects that are often not as appreciated or seen as important, and people sometimes stray away from pursuing majors or careers in those fields because of the way they’re viewed. But despite this, it’s important not to shy away from these things and the way that they connect us. Art and history show us whole new worlds, cultures and lives. When you show children these things, it can create respect for and interest in them. Most importantly, though, bringing kids to these places fuels curiosity. The exhibits can answer questions you didn’t know you had, or touch on subjects that don’t fit into the classroom curriculum. 

So whether it was jumping back in disgust when there’s a display that replicates the smell of Sue’s breath, or tracing the folds of fabric carved so delicately from stone with my eyes, going to museums throughout my life has been one of my most cherished memories. Despite my initial boredom, I thank my parents for bringing me again and again, and I urge everyone to do the same, even if you’re only going for yourself. Before there were scientific discoveries, major businesses or the study of math, there were drawings on cave walls.