When I was growing up, every vacation my family would go full tourist mode. Every landmark, main attraction, famous restaurant and museum was on our list to see. At the time, I dreaded going on tours and listen to boring tour guides give their spiel about the history of the site. That all changed about a month ago when I visited the Nelson Atkins Museum for my European Art and Architecture interim course.

With the Nelson being so close and accessible, I had been there many times, but it wasn’t until this past trip that made me realize what I had really been missing out on. Listening and engaging in the history relating to the artifacts filled me with immense knowledge, and it was incredible that these pieces are kept just minutes from STA.

The feeling I get when I go to the museums is an experience in itself. Museums bring calmness, fascination and a sense of community. Museums are both isolated with the quietness but also filled with a shared community of people with similar interests. Going to a museum is an out of body feeling where the outside world is forgotten and you are fully engrossed and transformed into the history of the sights.

So why should we care about museums? Museums preserve the past to shape the future and bridge gaps between different cultures and time periods. They allow visitors to explore different traditions, lifestyles and artistic expression to foster cultural appreciation.

Overall, I began to appreciate the museum experience and I realized I had taken for granted the many museums I’ve been to. You don’t have to be a history buff to enjoy going to museums. You just need to have an open mind and intrigue to learn about culture and history. I now want to make visiting a museum an activity I accomplish in every new place I go.