Post #207873 by mbonga on Mon, Jan 16, 2006 6:22 AM

Not just kind of sad: very sad. I would have loved to have seen a display that I knew had been around for so long, especially on that topic. Even that outdoor stone head is gone. At least you got some decent photos of the display before it was removed.

This modern trend of "progress" really gets me down, and this is just one example. You're right: more gift shops everywhere (the most extreme case of this I've seen is Downtown Disney, which stays open even after they've forced everyone out of Disneyland itself!), and the quality of merchandise has clearly fallen everywhere over the decades. Even the Western Cultures exhibit was closed in the museum when I went yesterday. There's a new mammals exhibit that is a little too slick and contrived for my taste, mostly about African animals, and of course some crowd pleasing manatees and dolphins. The Atrium Cafe' used to have delicious mesquite flavored sandwiches, but the last time I ate there they wanted $4 for a tiny bottle of juice, the mesquite sandwiches were gone, my substitute sandwich was lukewarm, and both employees were rude or inconsiderate.

P.S.--I thought I had photos of the Pacific cultures exhibit, but after looking at your photos, which don't look familiar at all, I may not have those photos after all. There's a chance I may never have seen the Pacific exhibit, after all. I'll have to spend some time looking.

[ Edited by: mbonga 2006-01-16 06:27 ]