America On Wheels — Museum Thoughts
Hey everyone,
My Father, the City Council Vice President
So I am currently in Allentown Pennsylvania, spending my last few days with my dad before I head back up to Ithaca. My father, an Allentown City Councilman (see accompanying picture) wanted to show me some sights that I hadn’t seen yet, so he brought me to America on Wheels. It’s a museum, documenting America’s car history, but also the way the automobile industry shaped the Lehigh Valley, and brought about Pennsylvania’s first major economic boom. As I learned the other night, Allentown is the third largest city in the fifth largest state in the country. The Pennsylvania Turnpike was the first major interstate highway, and it shaped the way our country’s roads and highways were formed. I learned all of these things while in Allentown, with a lot of help from America on Wheels.
Below is a gallery of all the photos, you can also find them in the photo section of my site.
The museum was a good blend of written history and visual stimulus. From the section entitled “The Legends of Speed” featuring various race cars of all different shapes, sizes, and eras; to the section entitled “Deja zoom” which handled the new resurgence of the electric car, and the possibility of a hydrogen cell car. Also featured were sections on Mack Trucks (a sponsor of the museum), Bicycles, Motorcycles, Classic Cars, Emergency Vehicles, and even my personal favorite: The Rocketpowered Bar Stool. (Although Lawn Mower racers came in close second.)
The set featured videos showcasing the abilities of the parcel delivery industry with the examples of UPS, FedEx, and DHL. The videos explained each company’s history, their connection to the Lehigh Valley, and the amazing features and services which they offer. I was amazed at watching the computer systems and how they seemed to instinctively react to the packages, and divert the correct package to the correct chute. (I will add that I watched the video on loop at least three times, and was still unable to see how on earth the system works, it looks like a piece of the machine just lives with each package, and will shoot across the strip to divert a specific parcel. I can’t explain it, but I do know that it is hands down the coolest thing I’ve ever seen.) There were also videos showing the efforts of truck drivers, and how if the truck drivers weren’t around our whole country would come to a screeching halt. The work that happens behind the scenes so that every company can operate to the best of its ability lies at its heart at the ability to deliver goods too and from retailers. Our entire industry is based around the retail and consumer business, and truck drivers are the backbone holding the system together. America on Wheels makes sure that you know that, because it is absolutely true, and in a world of images, and dreams of stardom (hell I’m a musical theatre major, so I am as guilty as so many others) people forget the value, and entertainment that can be found in the jobs that people write off. TV Shows such as “Ice Truckers” attempted to breathe life back into this dying field, but the fact of the matter is that truck driver numbers are decreasing, and that is a major problem facing the consumer industry in the years to come.
America on Wheels can be found at 5 N Front St. Allentown, PA 18102, and they can be contacted at (610) 432-4200. Hours are Tuesday - Saturday 10am - 5pm, and Sunday from noon - 5pm. Tickets are $7 general admission, $5 for seniors, $3.50 for students (6-16) and Children 5 and under enter free. Come and enjoy this wonderful place and show your support.
Being here brought up a more serious issue for me. I am incredibly worried about the declining number of people who are interested in seeing museums. As David Muccullough says “History is a guide to navigation in perilous times. History is who we are and why we are the way we are.” Understanding our past is essential to guiding ourselves towards the future. Not just that, but you can not make an educated decision without utilizing your knowledge of the decisions of the past. So when I entered America on Wheels, and spent two hours in there, the only thing I could continuously comment on was the fact that myself and my father were the only two people in the building. Now this is a small museum in Allentown Pennsylvania, it stands to reason that the majority of its income comes from donations and sponsors, however what good is the museum if people are not appreciating it. It’s one thing to go see a movie, view a play, watch a dance show, listen to a symphony, or attend an art gallery. It’s another thing entirely to view the works, inventions, and ideas of the past and try to understand why they are there. What brought them about, and how they in their own way changed the world we live in today.
The National Air and Space Museum had the largest attendance decline of any of the individual museums, recording a 46 percent drop in visitors since 2001. The National Museum of American History also recorded a 42 percent drop in attendance from 2001 to 2005, the last full year it was open prior to being closed in September 2006 for renovations.
SOURCE: New York Times
This is what scares me in the world today. A whole country of people who can’t identify Iraq on a map, and yet are capable of sending us to, and supporting a war in that very country. A country of people who can not tell you about human anatomy, or can not make a proven fact based argument supporting their beliefs. A country of people who can tell me more about American Idol than they can about the Civil War, or a country of people who a vast majority can say they’ve never stepped foot in, or appreciated the simple pleasure of perusing a museum. I shudder to think of a country such as that, and unfortunately it’s growing up right before my eyes.
