In Search of Knowledge

Seeking life will not find you knowledge.

Sounds deep I know. And turns out is true when it comes to trees. I had read about a sculpture in Roswell that I very much wanted to visit. I Googled, and Search-ed, and asked.....but could not find any reference to the Tree of Life.

Because it's called the Tree of Knowledge! Oops....

Fortunately I remember it might be at the library and that finally leads me to the piece - on the corner of Pennsylvania and 3rd Street.

17 feet tall with metal branches and leaves of words

Over 2800 tiles made by Roswell citizens

Some quotes cover several tiles, while others are a single word

We spent 20 minutes looking for favorites

The artist, Sue Wink, has created many other community art pieces that I'll now be looking for in our travels.

Keeping with the "learning about stuff" theme for our Saturday, we next visit the International UFO Museum and Research Center.

As expected, the initial focus is on the 1947 crash site discovery just outside the city of Roswell. But there is a lot of other well-presented information on extra-terrestrial sightings, crop circles, proved hoaxes, and ancient cultures. 

We both find it hard to believe we could possibly be the only life in this huge universe, so we entered with minds wide open. Tessa is neutral on the subject.

The amount of written documentation, witness statements, sworn affidavits and testimony from both military personnel and local citizens is staggering. It is much easier to believe that a spacecraft crashed with alien life forms aboard, than it is to believe it was a weather balloon. 

The original press release given to Lt Haut as the official story said the crash site was a flying saucer

The next day the story was changed to the crash of a weather balloon 

Witness statements

including numerous military documents

It's doubtful we will ever know the truth of what was discovered, or why it was so important to hide it all away, although attempts to unearth new information continue.

2002 excavation of the original site produced no additional evidence

Alternate explanations for the wreckage that Mack Brazel found are offered here as well, avoiding a "hard sale" that an alien ship was the only possibility.

Maybe a ship, but one of ours

Maybe a cover-up, but for a logical reason

I find the information on crop circles particularly interesting - differences in wheat at the molecular level seem pretty compelling to me.

I hope someone is still working on these

Before the final exhibits on the entertainment world's take-over of the topic, there is a small section on the ancient cultures whose artifacts reference "sky people" and our relationship with them. A good reminder that Roswell was not likely the "first contact".

Hand carved story panel

depicting a ship with oxygen, braking and navigation systems in relationship to travel through planets and stars.

In addition to all the documents and photographs, there are movie props and other photo-op aliens throughout the museum. There is definitely a strong belief among us on just what they look like!

Autopsy table from the tv-movie "Roswell"

Just floatin' in the back corner

Yep, we all look alike

Working security at the store across the street (the street lights are still my favorite)

Although it's not something we need to do again, I'm really glad we took the time and the $10 to see the museum. If you're in Roswell, you really have to see it :-)