Click the image to get that gosh darn Quaker out of the way. Go ahead, no one’s watching.
Valentine’s is tomorrow, kids. You still dateless? All alone and not gettin’ the bone? (Sorry.) Fifty Shades of Grey just not doin’ it for ya? Well maybe this’ll cheer you up. Yesterday, the Penn Museum featured Fifty Shades of Pompeii (their title, not ours) and let’s just say Vesuvius wasn’t the only thing erupting in 69 79 C.E. Young Friends of the Penn Museum presented a collection of erotic artwork that was excavated from Pompeii’s ruins in the 1700s. Apparently Pompeiians were super into that stuff—Wiki says there was even phallic worship going on. Happy Valentine’s Day Eve!
The Penn Museum has always been your one-stop-shop for things that are very very old, somewhat exotic, and academically notable. But–face it–you never really go there because it’s so faaaaar!
Maybe this will make you hit up 32nd street: The Penn Museum’s latest traveling exhibit is a 1700-year-old Roman mosaic from Lod, Israel, which has been painstakingly installed to best show off its 300 square foot glory. Go for the history, go for the spectacle, go because you know your Jewish grandmother would want you to. This treasure is headed for the Louvre in Paris after leaving Philly, so your time is running out!
Esteemed author Malcolm Gladwell is coming to Penn next Thursday(!) He is the author of four books, including The Tipping Point: How Little Things Make a Big Difference (2000) and Outliers: The Story of Success (2008). All four of his books were New York Times Bestsellers, so he’s basically Stephenie Meyer. His works make frequent use of academic work in the areas of sociology, psychology and social psychology.
The event is free and open to anyone who wants to attend. Check out the details below, as be sure to RSVP on the Facebook page!
When: Thursday, February 14th at 4:oo p.m.
Location: Harrison Auditorium, Penn Museum
VIP Seating Lottery: 10 winners will be selected. Click here to enter lottery.
Like a tweenage girl who insists upon celebrating her birthday for an entire month, the Penn Museum is making sure ’tis not the last time we hear its name before the world semester ends.
Today’s New York Times profiles the only building on campus we dread walking to more than DRL in honor of its 125th anniversary tomorrow. Happy (almost) Birthday!
If you haven’t been to the museum since Freshman year NSO, we recommend stopping by. There’s free (FREE!!) admission all day tomorrow (and everyday for Penn students), but if you can’t make it, check out these vintage vids from the 1950′s game show filmed inside.
‘Tis the season for merriment and joy, with Christmas in just a little over a month! But, in case you forgot, the world is actually supposed to end four days before that! Luckily, some new signs all along Locust are reminding us that ‘tis the season to be jolly because Tis Not the End.
As it turns out, the cryptic TisNotTheEnd.com is the brainchild of the Penn Museum, which is cleverly advertising its new Maya 2012 exhibit (ohhhh). The museum is getting on Penn’s level with oh-so-accessible signage, such as the one pictured. There’s also what we presume to be a 34th Street shoutout (one week left to submit those!), with one sign noting that if reading Highbrow is the most highbrow thing you’ve done all semester, “Tis not the end of the world.” The exhibit is FREE for Penn students and runs through the end of the calendar year (which will happen).
Ever had the urge to grab a sphinx by the headdress and pick its nose? No, we’re not talking about a member of the senior society (although that urge is still justifiable). We’re talking about the Egyptian man-lion you learned about in grade school. The Penn Museum is offering “touch tours,” an exhibit that allows visually impaired visitors to touch select artifacts. They don’t even have to wear a rubber! (on their hands). So far, the exhibit brought in the Overbrook School for the Blind (DP video here) with the help of the coordinator of special tours, Trish Maunder, as reported by Philly.com.
Although it is completely frowned upon to impersonate a visually impaired person to be able to get your hands on a cool artifact, maybe you can tag along with one of your friends who fits the entrance requirements. And by the by, the sphinx in the Penn Museum doesn’t even have a nose. Or a face, really.
Attention freshmen and freshwomen: NSO (for those living under a rock, NSO = New Student Orientation) is approaching! It’s a well-known fact that Orientation weekend is second-to-none– at least during the Fall semester (sorry, Fling is totes better). Of course, with plenty of things to do, the first few days at Penn are chaotic. But not all school-sponsored events are created equal, so we’re here to tell you what’s what on Locust (ya know, that sidewalk through the middle of campus) and beyond. Come along, new friends!
Wednesday
Target Trip (2pm; International and Exchange Students-The Button/Van Pelt Library): Maybe. If you’re on campus this early as a freshie, you’re trying too hard– or you’re just an international student, which would make sense. The university-run shopping spree is not an activity to write home about, but it’s a good way to kill two hours if you can’t bear the thought of letting down your future roommate with the clashing bedspread you brought from halfway around the world.
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That’s right: Penn’s Philomathean Society is bringing us former World Chess Champion and 2007 Russian presidential candidate, Garry Kasparov! Scheduled for next Tuesday (April 3rd) in the Harrison Auditorium of Penn Museum, Kasparov is set to pawn off words of wisdom “on his experiences in chess and politics.” The talk will be followed by a reception, offering students the chance to meet him (and potentially challenge him to a lil’ Chess With Friends). Not interested? These specs could change your mind:
- Kasparov was ranked number one in the world for 255 consecutive months–the longest streak ever in the history of ever
- He retired from chess in 2005 and since has become a leader of The Other Russia
- He is known to chess fans as the “Beast From Baku” after his aggressive style of play (Grrrr, baby, very grrrrrr)
- This three minute long video of black and white footage of him gaming to the tune of dramatic music exists
- He has a website! And wrote a book! And will sell you as many stainless steel initialed key chains (on CLEARANCE) your money can buy.
Now that’s what we’d call a check mate.
The Penn Museum is 125 years old! That’s old! Pretty old! A century and a quarter ago, the Trustees of Dear Old Penn decided to send a research team to Babylonia and resolved to build a center to display any artifacts retrieved from the expedition. Over the years, Museum has amassed over 1,000,000 objects (six zeroes, thankyouverymuch). That’s…a lot.
To celebrate, the Museum has launched a fancy new website with a Collections Database that allows users to curate their finds and share them with others. It’s neat. Check it out!
Finals season is here, and if you’re reading this, it probably means you can’t study. If you’re in Van Pelt or Fisher, the guy in front of you won’t stop farting and some idiot nearby is chewing gum with an open mouth. (Seriously, stop that.) If you’re in Saxby’s– Well, if you’re lucky enough to have a table, let alone a power source– it’s so loud that you want to headbutt your Math104 textbook. The point is, your regular study spots suck. If you’re not willing to stay secluded in your room but don’t want to go downtown for a quiet corner, let UTB guide you in the direction of your dream study space.
Sweeten Alumni House
Location and hours: 3533 Locust Walk; varies, closed at nights
Outlets?: Few
Food nearby?: Yes
Best for: Writing a paper
Description: How many times have you passed by this place without even giving it a second thought? The Alumni House isn’t just for alumni– anyone can use it. It’s really lovely inside, with comfy couches, nice bookshelves, fireplaces, and dark wooden chairs. And it’s so close to everything on campus, it’s almost a crime you’re not there now.
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