GREAT
MUSEUMS Videos Available on VHS for the Classroom
Great
Museums can be recorded for educational purposes. Check
your local PTV station for schedule & times.
Great Museums # 101
New York City Fire Museum: Trial by Fire
Location: New York, NY
Program Introduction: Trial by Fire
Act One: The Volunteer
Days
Act Two: Paid to Put
Out Fires: 1865
Act Three: Soaring to New Heights: The
20th Century City
Act Four: Fire in
the Sky: Beyond 9/11
Program Description: Housed in a 1904 firehouse —
the former home of Engine 30 — this museum chronicles
the history of firefighting from colonial times to the
present. The museum features horse and hand-drawn fire
carriages, fire buckets and parade hats and modern day
equipment. Firefighters — many of whom were involved
in the World Trade Center tragedy — serve as the
museum’s volunteers. General Topics: History,
Technology, Industry
Great Museums # 102
National Museum of Women in the Arts: A Woman’s
Touch
Location: Washington, D.C.
Program Introduction: Art, the Great Common Denominator
Act One: Lost
in History
Act Two: Feminism
and the French Revolution
Act Three: Feminine Impressions:
A Woman’s Touch (Late 19th C.)
Act Four: Anonymous
No More: Women Artists in the 20th Century
Program Description: The National Museum of Women
in the Arts in Washington, D.C., offers the single most
important collection of art by women in the world. The
museum provides an astonishing survey of women artists
representing every major artistic period, from 16th-century
Dutch and Flemish still lifes to 20th-century abstract
expressionism to postmodern art. General Topics: Art,
History, Diversity
Great Museums # 103
Ellis Island Immigration Museum: Face of America
Location: New York, NY
Program Introduction: Gateway and Getaway
Act One: Face
of America
Act Two:
Becoming Americans
Act Three: Saving Ellis
Island: Making a Museum with Treasures from Home
Act Four: Emotional
Ties
Program Description: Between 1897 and 1938, immigration
changed the face of America. More than 100 million citizens
in the United States can trace their ancestry to an immigrant
who landed at New York’s Ellis Island. Ellis Island
is more than a museum, it is hallowed ground; it is the
place where many immigrants from all over the world first
touched American soil. Through the museum’s oral
history project and through the everyday objects on display
— a pair of boots, a cooking pot, religious artifacts
and traditional clothing — the museum strives to
“give voice” to people whose lives have not
typically been seen as history. General Topics:
History, Genealogy, Preservation, Industry, Diversity
Great Museums # 104
Autry Museum of Western Heritage: Spirit of the West
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Program Segments: Introduction: Myth vs.
Reality
Act One: The
16th Century & The Spirits of the West
Act Two: Seizing
Opportunity: Discovery, Conquest, Community
Act Three: Real Cowboys
: The Romance of the Wild West
Act Four: Vivid
Imaginations: Hollywood, TV and Popular Culture
Program Description: Through Wild West shows, Hollywood
and television, the fictional West became a real part
of childhood fun for generations of Americans. But, like
any great saga, the true story of the West spans many
centuries, combining courage, conflict, conquest and romance.
At this Los Angeles-based museum, viewers witness the
stories of mid-16th century Spanish conquistadors in search
of gold and glory; buckskin-clad mountain men; explorers
Lewis and Clark; brave pioneers like the Mormon settlers;
and the displaced native Mexicans and Americans. General
Topics: Art, History, Industry, Popular Culture, Diversity
Great Museums # 105
American Folk Art Museum: American Anthem
Location: New York, NY
Program Introduction: American Anthem
Act One: What
is it?
Act Two: The
Makers (18-19th Century)
Act Three: The Outdoor Greats
Act Four: 20th
Century Folk
Program Description: For many, folk art challenges
the traditional notions of “fine” art. This
New York-based museum applies the same standards that
any art museum would apply to a work of art: the works
are challenging, surprising and they inspire creativity.
From paintings, weathervanes and decoys to furniture,
quilts and sculptures, this episode leaves little doubt
that folk art is a viable art form. General Topics:
Art, History, Industry, Popular Culture, Diversity
Great Museums # 106
Hollywood Entertainment Museum: American Dream Factory
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Program Introduction: American Dream Factory
Act One: A
Town Called Hollywood
Act Two: A
Business Called Hollywood
Act Three: An Idea Called
Hollywood
Act Four: A Museum
Called Hollywood
Program Description: Hollywood is known for its entertainment,
art, technology, and imagination, but it is also how Americans
export their culture. In essence, Hollywood is still a “factory
town" and its product is fantasy. Opened in 1996, the
museum is the first of its kind, and exhibits go behind
the scenes of makeup and wardrobe and on the sets of Cheers
and Star Trek. General Topics: Art, History,Technology,
Industry, Popular Culture, Diversity
Great Museums # 107
California Surf Museum: Proudly We Wave
Location: Oceanside, CA
Program Introduction: Proudly We Wave
Act One: Aloha!
Captain Cook Spies Hawaiians Surfing
Act Two: Giant
on Board
Act Three: Sun, Surf,
Sand, Sex
Act Four:
Hang Ten Zen
Program Description: In many respects, surfing has not
changed in a thousand years. The first Westerner to see
and document surfing was Captain James Cook during his voyage
to Hawaii in 1778. Nearly two centuries later, surfing belonged
to Gidget and Hollywood, but a lot happened along the way.
From Duke Kahanamoku to the surf music phenomenon, this
museum in Oceanside, California captures the history and
unique spirit of surfing. General Topics: Art, History,
Popular Culture, Diversity
Great Museums # 108
The Field Museum: Earthly Treasures
Location: Chicago, IL
Program Introduction: Earthly Treasures
Act One: The
Whole World at Your Fingertips
Act Two: Sue’s
Story: What We Learn from the Largest T-Rex
Act Three: People of
the Planet: Cultural Diversity
Act Four: Evolution
of Knowledge: Global Research
Program Description: The Field Museum's mission to explore
the Earth and its people is apparent as soon as a visitor
steps into the Great Hall. Just past the two ceiling-high
totem poles are two enormous dueling African elephants locked
in perpetual battle, as well as Sue, the largest T-Rex ever
found. Artifacts and explanations of ancient human cultures
from practically every continent are on display. The Chicago
museum contains cultural, archaeological, botanical, zoological
and geological collections totaling more than 20 million
objects, yet less than one percent of them are on display
at any given time. General Topics: History, Science/Technology/Industry,
Diversity
Great Museums # 109
Morris Museum of Art: The Art of the South
Location: Augusta, GA
Program Introduction: Defining Regional Art
Act One: What
is the “Art of the South?”
Act Two: The
People: Antebellum Portraiture to 20th Century Folk Painting
Act Three: The Places:
Landscape Painting & American Impressionism
Act Four: The
Stories: 2oth Century Literature Narrative Realism
Program Description: From the pleasing 19th century
portraits by William Edward West of Kentucky to the vibrant
paintings of Gullah life by Jonathan Green of South Carolina,
the art of the South is as varied and diverse as its people.
Opened in 1992 in Augusta, Georgia, the museum has a surprising
collection of antebellum portraiture, Civil War paintings,
still life, impressionism, landscapes, narrative paintings
and folk art. General Topics: Art & Music, History,
Diversity
Great Museums # 110
Molly Brown House Museum: The Unsinkable
Location: Denver, CO
Program Introduction: The Legend of Molly Brown
Act One: An
American Folk Legend Comes to Town
Act Two:
A Woman’s Home Is Her Castle
Act Three: Restoring
the Truth and the Treasures
Act Four:
Titanic Fever
Program Description: Being in the Denver home of
Margaret “Molly” Brown is like stepping back
more than 100 years to Victorian times. Through beautiful
period restoration, the exhibit reveals the life of this
very unconventional, yet very Victorian, woman and the
society in which she lived. Despite her heroic role in
the Titanic disaster, she was "caricatured"
out of Denver society because of her stance on human rights
and social change. General Topics: History, Popular
Culture, Diversity
Great Museums # 111
DuSable Museum of African-American History: American
Soul
Location: Chicago, IL
Program Introduction: What’s American About
Americans?
Act One: What
Shall I Tell My Children Who Are Black?
Act Two: Treasures
of the DuSable Museum
Act Three: Distorted
Images: Made in the USA
Act Four: The
Children Shall Lead Us
Program Description: Founded in 1961, the DuSable
in Chicago, Illinois, is one of the first African-American
museums in the country. The museum follows African-American
history from its beginning on the shores of Africa to
a celebration of African-American achievements including,
Bessie Coleman, the nation’s first black female aviator;
World War II Tuskegee airmen; Major Robert Lawrence, the
nation’s first black astronaut; and Harold Washington,
Chicago’s first black mayor. General Topics: Art,
History, Diversity
Great Museums # 112
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts: Art Gets a Start
in America
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Program Introduction: Two Centuries of Contemporary
Art
Act One:
Grand Manners and Morals
Act Two:
Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Art
Act Three: Rocking
the Cradle of Liberty
Act Four: To
Be Modern
Program Description: Founded when Thomas Jefferson
was president and the Revolutionary War was still a part
of living memory, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine
Arts in Philadelphia is America's first art museum and
school, and is home to more than two centuries of American
art. Its mission is the same as when it first opened its
doors in 1805: to train and exhibit work by contemporary
American artists. Inside, students paint before the great
works of Charles Willson Peale, Gilbert Stuart, Winslow
Homer and Mary Cassat. From 19th century paintings after
the Grand Manner Tradition of Europe to contemporary works
by today’s artists, this collection may represent
the interesting dynamic that exists between the lure of
Europe and the increasing instinct of American artists
to create an art that is uniquely American. General
Topics: Art, American History, Diversity
Great Museums # 113
Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum: Water Ways
Location: St. Michaels, MD
Program Introduction: The World of the Bay Waterman
Act One: Water
Ways: The Largest Estuary in North America
Act Two: The
Great Shellfish Bay
Act Three: The Revolutions
Act Four: Restoring
the Bay
Program Description: Located in St. Michaels on Maryland’s
eastern shore, this museum offers 600 years of the unique
history of North America’s largest estuary. The story
covers Native Americans and their dug-out canoes; pirates
and privateers; Baltimore Clippers; the American Revolution;
hardworking oystermen; SkipJack racing; environmental
conservation and more. Though boats are restored on-site,
the museum’s ultimate mission is about preserving
communities and a way of life that is disappearing quickly.
General Topics: History, Geography, Ecology/Conservation;
Science, Technology, Industry, Popular Culture, Diversity
GREAT MUSEUMS Episodes 201-213
High Definition
Great Museums # 201
The Charleston Museum: America’s First Museum
Location: Charleston, SC
Program Introduction: New Things from the New
World
Act One: America’s
First Museum: 1773
Act Two:
The Riches of Rice
Act Three: From the
Exotic to the Everyday
Act Four: Then
and Now: Charleston’s Golden Ages
Program Description: Founded in 1773 on the eve of
American independence, this South Carolina museum features
natural wonders like the rattlesnake, which so fascinated
early European explorers; shells and pottery shards from
an on-going archaeological dig that reveal the lost truths
of rural slave life; the Civil War journal of the Ft.
Sumter soldiers; Charleston-made silver and furniture;
and the city's re-emergence as a Southern cultural and
tourist center. Historic Charleston homes owned by the
museum offer glimpses into the lives of prominent early
citizens. General Topics: History, Archaeology,
Science, Industry, Diversity
Great Museums # 202
Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian:
Native Voice
Location: New York, Washington, D.C.: Resource Center
in Suitland, MD
Program Introduction: Interpreting Living Cultures
in a Museum
Act One: A
New Kind of Museum
Act Two: The
Art of Living
Act Three: The Native
Voice
Act Four:
A Window on the Indian Universe
Program Description: This D.C. and New York-based
museum approaches the native story in an enlightened and
exciting way, using the native voice to demonstrate that
native history, culture, art and life are part of the
shared cultural heritage of all Americans. Behind the
scenes at the Maryland-based Cultural Resources Center,
thousands of objects, arranged by tribe, are given “traditional
native ” care, such as air, light, water or food.
Featured objects include 3000 year-old duck decoys; a
Cheyenne feather bonnet; a priest-like Caribou hunting
gown; beetlewing jewelry; cradleboards , dolls and miniatures;
Pomo feather baskets; Pueblo dough bowls; Pacific Northwest
Tlingit hats; Osage pipes; Valdivia figurines, the oldest
depiction of human beings in the Western Hemisphere; and
a collection of nearly 2000 pairs of moccasins. General
Topics: Art, History, Diversity
Great Museums # 203
Colorado History Museum: Crossroads of Culture
Location: Denver, CO
Program Introduction: Crossroads of Culture
Act One: From
the Ancient Anasazi to the Conquistadors
Act Two: Black
Cowboys
Act Three: Indians:
The Sand Creek Massacre and Cheyenne Dog Soldiers
Act Four: Boom
and Bust
Program Description: At this Denver museum, the key
players in the Colorado drama come to life: The cliff-dwelling
Anasazi Indians; the Spanish, who named it Colorado, meaning
red; the 19th century ranchers, miners, missionaries and
Native Americans. Highlights include the reality of the
Black cowboy life; the boom and bust days of mining when
only a few like Horace and Baby Doe Tabor would strike
it rich. Through a specially designed glass wall visitors
glimpse the 95 percent of the collection that is in storage,
and gain a unique sense of what “preserving our history”
entails. General Topics: History, Technology, Industry,
Popular Culture, Diversity
Great Museums # 204
The Delta Blues Museum: The Blues Lives On!
Location: Clarksdale, MS
Program Introduction: Our Most Enduring Classical
Music
Act One: Origin
of the Blues
Act Two: The
Blues Leaves Home
Act Three: Blues,
Blacks and Whites
Act Four: Bringing
the Blues Back Home
Program Description: Located in an old depot in Clarksdale,
Mississippi, where Muddy Waters boarded the train to carry
the Blues to the world, this small museum tells the powerful
story of the origins of the Delta Blues and its ultimate
transformation into Rock-n-Roll. Interviews include actor
and native son, Morgan Freeman and blues artists Charlie
Musselwhite and "Super Chikan" Johnson. Featured
are Muddy Waters’ sharecropper cabin; Sonny Boy Williamson’s
harmonicas; B.B. King's guitar, “Lucille;” and
the annual Sunflower River Blues festival, which brings
together rising talents and established stars of America's
most enduring music. General Topics: Art, Music,
History, Industry, Popular Culture, Diversity
Great Museums # 205 *High Definition
National D-Day Museum: Triumph of the Spirit
Location: New Orleans, LA
Program Introduction: Triumph of the Spirit
Act One: The
Greatest Sacrifice
Act Two: "The
Man Who Won the War"
Act Three: The
Day That Changed the World: June 6, 1944
Act Four: The
Promise of Peace in the Pacific
Program Description: This is not the history of World
War II, but the story of what it takes to transform a
nation of people into a nation of warriors. This New Orleans-based
museum, opened in the year 2000, talks about war in human
terms and celebrates the American spirit through the personal
stories and artifacts of the American men and women who
sacrificed and prevailed in an epic struggle against tyranny.
In one soldier’s Christmas letter to “my dear
little boys,” a father struggles to explain war to
his young children. He was killed shortly after the letter
was sent, but he left his children a legacy of love and
hope evidenced by his careful letter. General Topics:
History, Technology, Industry, Popular Culture, Diversity
Great Museums # 206 *High Definition
National Music Museum: America’s Shrine to Music
Location: Vermillion, SD
Program Introduction: Not Just the Icing on the
Cake
Act One: America’s
Shrine to Music
Act Two: Variation
1: European Instruments
Act Three: Variation
2: Non-Western Instruments
Act Four: Variation
3: American Musical Instruments
Program Description: The art of making music requires
genius, precision and passion. Founded in 1973, this landmark
museum in Vermillion, South Dakota, includes more than
10,000 musical instruments from virtually all cultures
and historical periods. Today, its holdings are rivaled
only by institutions in such cultural centers as Berlin,
Brussels, Paris, and Vienna. Featured are Stradivari and
Amati violins; Saxophones by Sax, the inventor of the
saxophone; American Civil War brass instruments; C.G.
Conn instruments; a contemporary Gamelan; a Thai turned
log drum; the Sargent Pepper Lonely Hearts Club horn;
the Bill Clinton sax and more. General Topics:
Art, Music, History, Industry, Popular Culture, Diversity
Great Museums # 207 *High Definition
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum: Collective Vision
Location: Boston, MA
Program Introduction: Isabella’s Plan: To
Assault Your Senses with Art
Act One: Art
Opens You Up to be Different
Act Two: The
Artist at Work
Act Three: The Old
Inspires the New
Act Four: Triumph
of the Will
Program Description: A patron with exquisite taste
and a zest for life, Isabella Stewart Gardner traveled
the world for over three decades, assembling piece by
piece one of the world’s most remarkable art collections.
Her interests ranged from Rembrandt, Titian, Sargent,
Whistler, and Matisse to architectural antiquities, medieval
stained glass windows, tapestries, painted leather “wallpaper”
and rare books. In 1903, the “palace” she built
as a museum to house her collection was opened to the
public. She personally directed the installation of the
entire collection It remains on permanent display exactly
as she willed it, creating complex conservation challenges.
Though she died in 1924, her vision that art should be
a transforming experience is still the guiding principle
of this Boston-based museum. General Topics: Art
& Music, History, Object and Textile Conservation
Great Museums # 208 *High Definition
National Museum of Racing: Horse Power
Location: Saratoga Springs, NY
Program Introduction: Ode to the Beast
Act One:
Win, Place and Show
Act Two:
Owners, Trainers & Jockeys
Act Three: The Match
Races
Act Four: Start
to Finish
Program Description: Thoroughbred racing is one of
America’s oldest sports, and it has a colorful history.
Seabiscuit, Man o' War, Secretariat, Arcaro, and the Jones
Boys are all heroes of the turf and names that evoke the
clang of the starting gate, the thunder of pounding hooves--
the sights and sounds of racing. Located at the historic
Saratoga Springs racetrack, this museum celebrates the
sport and the animals whose grace and beauty have become
legendary. General Topics: History, Industry, Popular
Culture, Diversity
Great Museums # 209 *High Definition
California State Railroad Museum: Binding Ties
Location: Sacramento, CA
Program Introduction: The Magic of the Railroad
Act One: Linking
a Nation
Act Two:
The Golden Age of Railroads
Act Three: Railroads
& Everyday Life
Act Four: On
Track: Railroading in the 20th Century and Beyond
Program Description: The railroads helped shape the
unique culture of the West and reunite a Civil War-torn
nation. Through meticulously restored locomotives, archival
photographs, and artifacts, this Sacramento museum illustrates
the diverse experiences of those who built the railroads
and those who used them. General Topics: History,
Technology, Industry, Popular Culture, Diversity
Great Museums # 210 * High Definition
George Eastman House: Picture Perfect
Location: Rochester, NY
Program Introduction: He gave us our “image.”
Act One: Through
the Lens: The Language of Light
Act Two: “ You
press the button, we do the rest.”
Act Three: The
House That George Built
Act Four: The
Future of Film
Program Description: Located on historic East Avenue
in Rochester, New York, the 12.5-acre museum site was
the urban estate of George Eastman, founder of Eastman
Kodak Company. The Museum focuses on the 150-year history
of the art, technology, and impact of photography and
motion pictures – media that continue to change our
perception of the world. The 1910 Colonial era house,
where Eastman lived and died, offers a glimpse into the
private world of this marketing genius who invented the
word “Kodak” and made photographers of us all!
General Topics: Art, History, Technology, Industry,
Popular Culture
Great Museums # 211 * High Definition
The Library of Congress: Volumes to Speak
Location: Washington, DC
Program Introduction: World’s Largest Repository
of Knowledge & Creativity
Act One:
Books and Beyond: America as a Product of the Age of Print
Act Two:
Memory: The Nation’s Life Story
Act Three: Reason:
A World of Knowledge
Act Four: Imagination:
Source of Ingenuity and Invention
Program Description: Established in 1800 as a small
research library for the new Congress, today’s Library
is considered the repository of the nation’s life
story and arguably the “ultimate American museum.”
It’s holdings include Jefferson’s draft of the
Declaration of Independence, marked up by Adams and Franklin;
the maps carried in the pockets of Lewis & Clark;
the contents of Lincoln’s pockets the night he was
shot; Gershwin’s piano; the typescript of Martin
Luther King’s “I have a Dream” speech;
and Bob Hope’s 80,000 page joke file. General
Topics: Art & Music, History, Literature, Science,
Technology, Industry, Popular Culture, Diversity
Great Museums # 212 * High Definition
The Whale Museum: Science at Sea
Location: San Juan Island, WA
Program Introduction: The Sea as “Extended
Exhibit Floor”
Act One: A
Great Big Collection…and... It’s Alive!
Act Two: Humans
of the Sea
Act Three: Science
at Sea
Act Four: A
Whale of a Show: Whale Watching
Program Description: There’s a museum for everything
and this one, on San Juan Island, Washington, is the museum
of the “killer whale.” Whale watching in the
San Juan Islands has become a $10 million industry in
recent years. The Whale Museum estimates that more than
500,000 people descend on this region every year to catch
a glimpse of the oceans fastest swimmers - the killer
whales. General Topics: History, Science,Technology,
Ecology, Popular Culture
Great Museums # 213 * High Definition
Institute of Texan Cultures: Behind the Lone Star
Location: San Antonio, TX
Program Introduction: The True Texans
Act One:
Behind the Lone Star (Native Texans, Black Seminoles,
& Spain)
Act Two: The
Lone Star State is Born (Anglo-Texas; European Immigrants)
Act Three: Living
off the Land (Italian Cowboys; Japanese Farmers)
Act Four: Wild
Men, Wildcats and Women’s Wear (Jewish Texans)
Program Description: Cowboy boots, spurs, and cattle
quickly come to mind when people think about the Lone
Star State. But who are Texans, really? This surprising
San Antonio museum explores the 26 diverse cultures that
settled Texas. The people of the world came to Texas,
and all of them did not become cowboys. General Topics:
History, Popular Culture, Diversity
GREAT MUSEUMS Episodes
301-304
High Definition
Great Museums # 301 *High Definition
**The Metropolitan Museum of Art : World of Art (Part
One)
Location: New York City
Introduction: “A World of Art” Part
One
| Act One: |
What Makes a Masterpiece?
(Spiritual qualities; Egyptian jasper lips, El Greco,
Van Gogh, Eakins, Rubens; Western traditions; Chinese
painting) |
| Act Two: |
In the Beginning
(Architectural history; J.P. Morgan; Egypt; Arms &
Armor) |
| Act Three: |
Making Choices
(Washington Crossing the Delaware; The Luce Center
for the Study of American Painting; American landscapes
from Bingham to Heade to Homer) |
| Act Four: |
The Art of Success
(Making an impact; 19th century French painting, Courbet,
Manet, Monet, Renoir, Gauguin, Matisse; Louisine Havemeyer,
Mary Cassatt and Degas) |
Program Description: In this visually stunning high
definition production, “A World of Art,” the
magnificence of America’s premier art museum lights
up the screen. One of the architectural glories of New
York, the Metropolitan Museum of Art stretches 1000 feet
along Fifth Avenue. Inside is a dazzling three dimensional
encyclopedia of world art, radiating 5,000 years of artistic
history. From millions of works of art, curators at the
Met must decide for this day and age, what makes a masterpiece?
In this episode: Egypt; China; Renaissance Europe; Arms
& Armor; American; Impressionism; collectors J.P.
Morgan and Louisine Havemeyer; connoisseurship and critical
evaluation. General Topics: Art History, Culture,
Diversity, Art Appreciation.
Great Museums # 302 *High Definition
**The Metropolitan Museum of Art : World of Art (Part
Two)
Location: New York City
Introduction: “A World of Art” Part
Two
| Act One: |
Ideal Beauty
(Greek, Roman and South Asian sculpture; Canova’s
Perseus; The Costume Institute) |
| Act Two: |
A Collection of Collections
(Lehman Collection; Early Italian painting; Northern
Renaissance from Van Eyck to Vermeer; Western Europe
from Velazquez to Goya) |
| Act Three: |
The American Way
(Portraiture from Copley to Sully to Sargent; Madame
X) |
| Act Four: |
Evolving Aesthetic
(Annenberg Collection from Van Gogh to Picasso; Early
Modern and African art; Michael Rockefeller and the
art of Oceania) |
Program Description: Founded in 1870, the Metropolitan
Museum of Art was built on the shoulders of capitalism:
J.P. Morgan, Havemeyer, Lehman, Rockefeller, and Annenberg
are just a few of the names behind the Met’s collections.
Today, the Met remains dedicated to the on-going pursuit
of the greatest treasures of mankind. In this episode:
Greece and Rome; Asian India; Costume Institute; early
Italian Renaissance; Northern Renaissance; American portraiture
from Copley to Sully to Sargent; Van Gogh; Africa, Oceania
and Meso-America. General Topics: Art History,
Culture, Diversity, Art Appreciation.
**Episodes 301-302 are also available on video as seamless
hour (# 301-W).
Great Museums # 303 *High Definition
The Franklin Institute: Wonderland of Science
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Program Introduction: Science is a Phenomenon
| Act One: |
Everyday Science (Franklin and Scientific phenomena) |
| Act Two: |
Interactive Pioneers (Roots in the Mechanical Age) |
| Act Three: |
Mind over Matter (The Wright Brothers) |
| Act Four: |
Answers in the Heavens |
Program Description: Founded to commemorate and continue
the inventive spirit and scientific genius of Benjamin
Franklin, the imposing Franklin Institute stands solid
as a rock on 20th Street in Philadelphia. Science is a
phenomenon--.a process. You can't put it in a museum display
case. On “display” at the Franklin Institute
is a surprising “collection” of ordinary, everyday
experiences like “stability,” “momentum,”
“speed.” Yet its rich historical collection
also charts the progress of science in America, from Benjamin
Franklin’s lightening rod to the Wright Brothers’
airfoils and flight experiment records, to one of the
earliest planetariums in America. The Franklin Institute
aims to awaken the scientist in each and every one of
us. General Topics: Science, History.
Great Museums # 304 *High Definition
The Henry Ford: Made in America
Location: Dearborn, MI
Program Introduction: Innovation, Imagination, Ingenuity
Made in America
| Act One: |
History is Bunk (Ford’s view that history is made everyday
by everyone) |
| Act Two: |
Genius at Work (Ford mobilizes the 20th century and collects
Americana) |
| Act Three: |
If at first you don’t succeed… |
| Act Four: |
Character Made in America |
Program Description: With the success of the Model
T and the assembly line, Henry Ford was in the business
of making history and mobilizing the 20th century. By
the time he opened his museum in 1929, Ford had amassed
tens of thousands of seemingly ordinary objects to document
the genius of ordinary people. Rows of cast iron stoves,
an endless parade of planes, trains, automobiles, tractors,
cotton pickers. George Washington’s cot, Thomas Edison’s
Menlo Park “invention factory,” an entire Americana
“village” – all designed to represent innovation,
imagination, ingenuity made in America. General Topics:
American History, Industry, and Culture.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* All High Definition programs are also available in Standard
Definition.
