I am easily swept away by grandeur: My breath is taken away by an old growth forest, ruins of an ancient monestary silence me and a gorgeous renaissance palace is cause for marvel. But what about the little things? A beautiful spoon in a hotel dining room. A local's stunning hat. A tiny, perfect daffodil growing undisturbed by the roadside.
So it is in life as in life's microcosm, the museum: we flock to the dinosaurs, stand in line for hours to get tickets to a blockbuster exhibit, stare for hours (ok, minutes), pressed up against other tourists, at that famous painting (what's the artist's name?). Again I ask, what about the little things? Look to the left of the dinosaur, turn your eye away from the gilt, just a quarter turn, wander into that uncrowded room, and you might just see something that floors you.
Here it is, a roundup of some of the Natural History Museums small but spectacular objects (the last one is the best). Enjoy!
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| Dalmanites myops, commonly known as "cool little fossil". |
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| I'd say four dozen would be enough for dinner |
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| Shells... the size of my pinky nail. |
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| Alexandrite, the gem that changes from green to red in the light, raw and polished. |
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| Tiny diamonds from... stardust! |
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