Whispering sweet nothings to a stranger

We recently told you about a wonderful Tiffany exhibit at the Springfield Museums in western Massachusetts. We have another treat to tell you about.

The Mapparium at the Mary Baker Eddy Library

This one is a permanent exhibit called the Mapparium at the Mary Baker Eddy Library, which is part of the Christian Science Plaza in Boston’s historic Back Bay.

The Mapparium is a stained glass globe three stories high, which is experienced by ambulating across a suspended walkway through the center of the earth (as it were). Created in 1935 by the famed Rambusch Company art glass studios, it depicts in brilliantly colored stained glass a map of the world as it was at that time in history, which in itself is quite fascinating. Where else can one still see Siam, Italian East Africa, and the Soviet Union? More importantly, the globe, when viewed from within, depicts a map whose countries are in perfect proportion and relative location (albeit in reverse), thus giving the viewer a more accurate and complete view of our world than can be seen from a typical globe or a flat map.

Perhaps the most distinctive thing about the Mapparium, to which our headline refers, is the acoustical magic that it provides. Because it is made of glass, the Mapparium does not absorb sound. For this reason, visitors are naturally encouraged to keep their voices down. But they are also given a warning: anything you utter, no matter how quietly, may very well be heard by whomever is standing in the spot geometrically opposite of you. If this person is not an acquaintance, you might find that those quiet, unflattering mutterings to yourself have reached the unsuspecting ears of that nice little old lady waaaay over there. Likewise, eavesdropping on other people’s conversation is unavoidable. And if you stand in the very center, your own soft voice will sound as if it is coming from right behind you, a sensation that can be downright hair-raising.

If you visit with a friend, no doubt you will want to experiment. If you go alone and still want to experiment, take note: Before you decide to whisper sweet nothings to some lovely stranger, be aware that the stranger need only look to the opposite spot in the globe to single you out. And if your sense of geometry is not quite accurate, you just might get yourself into a pickle.

– E.A.C.