Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

I can't say enough nice things about this place. The setting is grand, the Andrew Carnegie mansion. Beautifully done displays of their collections and changing exhibits. It is relevant to humans who use artifacts, and to our time, and stimulates intellect and emotions in ways some art spaces might not. And it is a Smithsonian museum.

I enjoyed my too short time at this museum by looking at exhibits of objects to accommodate people with disability. I have heard it said that if we live long enough, most of us will have some disability. There were several items that while essential for some among us, could be of service to almost all people.

While not quite an Ironman suit, the exhibit that featured wearable strength with actuators to assist in during sitting and standing up, looked like they could help give back some of what time takes away.

The voting booth also had some great innovations to help insure that at least in voting, everyone is created equal and has every opportunity to stay that way.

Other exhibits about rules for good design, and examples of great design were cool and informative, worth posting in a workplace or sharing among colleagues or family when making choices on how to have the best, most efficient and effective equipment.

They had some very cool stuff about perception and senses in another exhibit. And about color. Wow! Life can get pretty beige, so being treated to examples of the human created world being as daring as the natural world was a thrill. They had a cool exhibit called the immersion room that could change the wallpaper.

I disagreed with some choices, but appreciated the approach in an exhibit that created computer visualizations from symphonic music. I think they had a great presentation for the jaggedness of some contemporary pieces, but needed more organic and sensual presentation for impressionists. But as an example of imagination at work, A+.

This museum is a quality experience, my only regret is I didn't have enough time.