I had two essays due on Wednesday, so for a break I took Thursday off and went to the Science Museum and the V&A.

Half of the main hall of the Science Museum is taken up by a wonderful gallery called ‘Making the Modern World‘ that showcases important technologies and inventions from 1750 to the present.  Some of the things I was particularly taken with included a working model of a belt-driven workshop, Watson and Crick’s DNA model, the first difference engine, the first atomic clock, glass created by the Trinity nuclear test, and a Jacquard loom with punch-cards.  I was a bit disappointed, though, that there were no examples of printing technology on display, especially since the nineteenth century was such an innovative period for the industry.  Upstairs, though, is a walkway overlooking the main gallery, and lining it are models, like this one:

A scale-model of the Timson MK III Litho Wun-Up from 1976.

(Sorry for the blurriness.)  So, not exactly revolutionary, but kind of cool anyway.  Especially that mid-century avocado green; how could you go wrong with that?

Next stop was the V&A where I wandered, completely lost, through galleries for several hours (and this wasn’t even my first visit).  Here are the bookish highlights.  First, in the twentieth-century design room, this awesome, wildly impractical bookshelf that I believe has been featured in a number of blog posts about unique bookshelves:

Next, a display on the 40th anniversary of the Booker Prize, including short-listed and winning novels from the collection of Peter Straus.  (Again, apologies for the quality, my camera does not do well in low light.)