DAY 36 The Bell arrives at the Exploratorium

The current bell housed at the museum is a much smaller bell that was cast in China. The sound quality is thin and high pitched. It is pretty loud but it’s not a particularly rich or interesting sound. A poor replacement and stand-in bell for the once beautiful tones made by the old bell belonging to the Oppenheimers. People wanted to compare the 2 bells. SO we rang them one after another. Back and forth from one side of the museum to the other. As a comparison, the new bell sounded much better. It was like resurrecting a ghost. Suddenly, the museum sounded like it used to, and it was magical and wonderful to be transported back in time. Then, suddenly, both bells were sounding at once, and it was even more incredible. They sounded so good together. Two large, loud bells dominating - for one suspended moment - the entire museum. They were the loudest things going. Louder than the exhibits. Certainly louder than anyone speaking. It was impossible to say or do anything else for a moment, and it was glorious. For an instant, everyone was enveloped in the sound created by these 2 bells and that would be the sound that would close the museum everyday from now on. It couldn’t have been more wonderful.

So. That was that. We took the trailer back to the car, moved the bell into the theater for the weekend presentations and left. End of the road.

10/6/06