1968

A good friend took me out for an evening at the Minnesota History Center (near the Cathedral of St. Paul) last night for my birthday.  We went to see the exhibit on 1968.  Some people have asked me why the exhibit is on that year as compared to others.  Many things happened in 1968.  I can remember some of them but I remember even more now that I've walked through the exhibit. I talked to one coworker who kindly told me she wasn't born yet in 1968 but she prefers to study decades more than years and off all the decades, she has always liked the 20's and the 60's.  I smile kindly but inside I'm rolling my eyes and thinking "You already had me feeling old with the information that you weren't born yet.  You don't have to rub it in by comparing the 60's the the 19 freaking 20's!"  The exhibit took us a couple hours to walk through. We went on Tuesday because after 5 p.m., admission is free.  So you save money but you have to put up with large crowds.  Each month of the year has a special section in the exhibit and it lists the things that happened that particular month.  They have an actual helicopter that was used in Vietnam in the exhibit.  I overheard one man tell his son where he sat in the aircraft when he was in the war.  Inside the copter is a short film telling stories from eight different perspectives on the war.  I hope other veterans are able to see this exhibit.  We took the time to listen to all eight stories because each one was captivating. The exhibit had information about the fashion (I never liked Twiggy - too skinny), the music (the White album came out that year), the politics (Democratic National convention in Chicago, riots protesting the war, and Pat Paulson for President), the assassinations (MLK and RFK), the books, the album covers, the new plastic products available (plates, cups, etc), the macrame wall hangings, the green glass ashtrays, the television shows (Mission Impossible, Family Affair, Julia, Star Trek, Get Smart), the movies and the social changes.  They even had a barrel of bras on display.  The whole exhibit was fascinating.  The last area you go into, once you get past the display about the space mission that sent back the first photos of our earth, is a typical living room from 1968.  There is a green couch with a low coffee table and a glass ashtray, a photo of John F. Kennedy on the wall, and a television console.  The 1968 exhibit at the Minnesota History Center is right on (Note to the age deprived-right on is 1968 lingo for excellent).