Philadelphia art museum

Cultural Event Report
Clearly identify the event location, date attended, the attendees, and your initial reaction upon arriving at the event.
I visited the Philadelphia Museum of Art on the 8th of this month of June with a few friends of mine. It was the first time to enter the building and to say it was breath taking is an understatement. The museum is a gigantic building (I came to learn after I had gone in that it is among one of the largest museums in not only the country but the world as well). The building was a mass of activities and this was so because it was on a weekend and most people were taking photos of the building while others were simply as perplexed as I was by the greatest of it.
I have never visited a museum before and I was not sure what to expect. The next thing I noticed was the seemingly heavy security procedures set up at the entrance of the museum which includes even a body scanner and several security personnel. I have to admit my naivety had taken the better part of my brain as I had not bothered carrying out research of the place beforehand and what I was left experiencing by the time I was through with just half of the museum tour can only be compared to culture shock but it was the best tour of my life.
Provide specific information and a description of at least two (2) pieces.
With the over 200, 000 art pieces and artifacts found in the museum, I was intrigued most by two paintings. These two paintings were titled: Young Mother in the Grotto and Portrait of Yarrow Mamout (Muhammad Yaro) (Philadelphia Art Museum, 2013). The thing that intrigued me the most about these pieces of art was not the fact that they had been recently acquired but the in depth meaning behind them and their significance not only in my personal life but in the whole of America as well.
The piece of Portrait of Yarrow Mamout (Muhammad Yaro) was a painting by Charles Willson Peale of a portrait of a very old man who is African American and a Muslim as well. The man was a slave taken sipped from a West Africa nation but with the abolishment of slave trade and the emancipation of the blacks, he was released by his owner. This is a clear depiction of the freedom most Americans are enjoying. It should also act as a reminder of the hard, dark and harsh period the nation and especially the African Americans faced as a result of their rights being denied and hence avoid a repeat of the same. People should therefore appreciate the freedom they can now enjoy and for those whose freedom and rights are still forthcoming, they should not lose hope no matter how long it takes, they will also get emancipated one day like the old man in the portrait painting.
The next painting of a young mother by Auguste Rodin is not only a clear depiction of the society’s version of gender roles (especially the role of a woman to be a care giver) but also an evidence of the maternal or eros love provided by a woman and possibly a mother. The woman seems to be shielding and protecting a small child from non-specified elements. This is the kind of maternal love that is everlasting no matter the situation and is a reminder of the importance of the most important thing in a society and that is love.
Provide a summary of the event and describe your overall reaction after attending the event.
The tour of the museum was one of those unforgettable events for me. It took over four hours uninterrupted to completely tour the inside of the museum with a guide and a group of tourists who also seemed to have the mixed feelings I was experiencing. The museum is divided into different sections and we explored them all and by the end of it all, the arching of my feet was the only thing that stopped me from making the tour all over again as the place is addictive with just the first glance at it. One thing for sure is that I will never lack a weekend plan as long as the museum is still there because I will be back until all my curiosity is satisfied. I will also tour other museums as well to find out about different historical aspects, paraphernalia as well as other talents hidden in the museums just like the one mentioned above. Museums should be advertised and seek ways to entice people to go and find out more and also learn and especially the younger generation.
References
Philadelphia Art Museum. (2013). Philadelphia Art Museum. Retrieved from: http://www. philamuseum. org/visit/