A busload of students ventured to New York City on Friday, February 11, 2005 to witness the wonder that is The Museum of Sex. The one of a kind MOSEX, is one of the many museums located in The Big Apple, however it is the only of its kind to tackle this controversial subject. Numerous Art Museums take on sex for the sake of Art, yet MOSEX specializes in sex for the sake of history. The mission of the Museum of Sex is to preserve and present the history, evolution, and cultural significance of human sexuality. Unlike other museums, MOSEX does not prohibit the use of cameras or touching the artwork, in fact they encourage and appreciate the interaction of museum goers and the exhibitions. By confronting our prevailing human sexuality, The Museum brings comfort to a crucial piece of human nature that usually draws up discomfort and silence. The trip, funded by Student Organization's, The Class of 2006, was the inspiration of Junior Class President, Aleasha Brooks. Student fortunate enough to grab one of the limited number of tickets had the pleasure of visiting The Museum of Sex, in its third year to view the current exhibitions: Vamps & Virgins: The Evolution of American Pinup Photography, 1860-1960, and Stags, Smokers & Blue Movies: The Origins of American Pornographic Film.
MOSEX exudes a relaxing and welcoming mood; one can only assume a purposeful attempt was made to guarantee a feeling of ease among museum attendees. Within a few feet of the entrance to the Vamps & Virgins exhibition you are face to face with nudity, Kean students, and other curious MOSEX guests.
The first exhibition, Vamps & Virgins: The Evolution of American Pinup Photography 1860-1960, traces the development of the classic pinup image. It also examines the shifting place of women in erotic material during the 100 year period through the early 60's through photography, film, and rare 3d images. The museum setup gives you the feeling that you are witnessing history first hand, especially when you move on to the second exhibition Stags, Smokers & Blue Movies: The Origins of American Pornographic Film. The old movies were projected on the floor along with description and historical facts. The gallery is dedicated to the presentation and analysis of the American "stag" film genre. It invites you to witness the underground evolution of the sex-film industry.
The Museum of Sex trip was wrapped up with students browsing the gift shop and sharing their feelings on the trip with each other. Lindsay Henderson "liked the pictures of the pin-up girls." Nizihah Wilson and Sarah Saleh thought the trip was a "good together" for students, but Nizihah "thought it (the Museum) could be more interesting."
Check out more photos from the trip in the photo gallery
