At the National Museum of American History there are singing rocks. No, not rock singers, although they do have Prince's guitar. There are singing rocks, which warble folk and American musical theater tunes as you stroll the patio.I am fascinated and repulsed by these objects, which are actually "naturalistic" speakers-made out of plastic, of course. But I can't help thinking of the myth of the Sirens, or some other suitable mythology.
I don't think I will go crashing into these rocks anytime soon, along to the soundtrack from Guys and Dolls or a classic Woody Guthrie song. But I do wonder why the museum thinks that outside space should be filled by noise, no matter how "historic."
Sometimes it would be nice to give peace and quiet a chance.
