On Tuesday Nov. 8th our Journalism class took a trip to Washington D.C. to visit the Newseum. America's only museum dedicated to the field of journalism. The modern building is filled with examples of past journalistic efforts, the good the bad and the weird, and contains some very interesting pieces of history. The first thing I was struck by was probably the journalism propaganda everywhere. The whole place is kind of a religious shrine to the art of journalism and at times that got really old. But underneath that layer of self promotion the Newseum contained some great things. I particularly enjoyed walking through their gallery of front pages detailing important moments in U.S. history. It was fun to see the evolution of the newspaper from the start of our country to where it is today. But probably the best part of the building is the Pulitzer prize winning photographs. The horror and joy detailed in these captivating pictures is the perfect way to appreciate the complexity of life and the role journalists play. I don't think I'd visit again anytime soon (unless they make the Newseum free of charge) but I certainly enjoyed my time there.
