This month marks the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of an era in Eastern Europe reinforced in part by propaganda. Your teens, however, are learning propaganda is one of the common threads running through world history and is still making headlines in its many different forms. They are also probably getting to know the oft repeated maxim that if, “You don’t learn from history, you are doomed to repeat it.”
It’s also a message conveyed in the colorful Wende Museum, founded in 2002 by Justinian Jampol, a native of Los Angeles and scholar of modern European history who developed it as a “cultural laboratory” to provoke and continue conversations about the effects of propaganda in the past and present. Even the name is evocative as Wende (pronounced “ven-de”), a German word that translates to transformation, has been used to describe the era of uncertainty, such as the years leading up to and following the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Wende Museum. Photo: Elyse Glickman
The new campus is, appropriately enough, built into a renovated National Guard Armory in Culver City, and curated to pair collections from the Cold War era with contemporary artists, filmmakers, musicians, scholars and others to bring its inner workings to life and reveal the often subtle but powerful ways it moved the opinions of millions to bend the will of a few leaders. In addition to visual and interactive installations, the Wende offers a full spectrum of live, multicultural events such as a Music at the Wende concert series, theatrical productions, live oral history events and dynamic lectures and community discussion forums that bring perspective to the ways propaganda was used in the past and is still part of our lives. Every Wednesday morning, the museum offers a free, 50-minute yoga class in the Wende Sculpture Garden with Culver City instructor Jennifer Winther.

Wende Museum. Photo: Elyse Glickman
While the permanent collection of posters, paintings, sculpture and mixed media works is bound to be thought provoking, Wende’s mission will be carried further with the upcoming “The Medea Insurrection: Radical Women Artists Behind the Iron Curtin.” The exhibition, started Nov. 10 (to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall) and through April 5, 2020, showcases provocative art conceived by risk-taking Cold War-era Eastern European women artists alongside works from Los Angeles artists enacting their own provocative challenges to established norms and hierarchies.

Wende Museum. Photo: Elyse Glickman
“The Medea Insurrection” is named after one of Greek mythology’s towering figures of strength and fury, and many of the pieces on display feature Medea figures within the artwork, alongside representations of equally rebellious mythic figure Cassandra and Penthesilea. According to the exhibition’s curator Susanne Altmann, in the years before the fall of the Berlin Wall, women artists often turned to myths and archetypes to express challenges to a repressive government and social code. The results range from subtly anti-authoritarian to in-your-face punk.
Read This Next
#WhereverFamily
Insta FeedTravel Tips
Aug 4, 2022Tips for Stargazing on a Camping Trip
A camping trip in a national park or other area away from city lights is a perfect opportunity to enjoy the wonders of the night sky. Children living in cities rarely have a chance to see the myriad of stars that fill the sky, so stargazing can be a new experience to enrich your family travels. These tips will make stargazing fun — and a learning experience as well.
Sponsored Content
United Aviate Academy Takes Off
United Airlines officially became the only major U.S. airline to own a flight training school with the opening of United Aviate Academy on Jan. 27. The moment was made even more historic with its inaugural class, which is 80 percent women and people of color.
Slideshow
Aug 4, 20226 Seoul, South Korea Destinations for Family Travel
It’s time to start dreaming of your next family trip. Here’s some destination inspiration for you. Take a visual journey through Seoul, South Korea, with us.
Multigenerational
Aug 4, 2022Avoid Summer Slide with the Kids at WonderWorks Myrtle Beach
Add a touch of education, but make it fun, to family travel at WonderWorks Myrtle Beach. Your kids will avoid the summer slide and keep up with their learning, all while having a good time. WonderWorks is indoors, allowing people to visit no matter the weather; dubbed “an amusement park for the mind” the whole family will head home having learned something new.
Sponsored Content
Take the Family Vacation of a Lifetime to Alaska with Celebrity Cruises
Embark on a family journey through The Last Frontier with Celebrity Cruises® and experience an unforgettable luxury vacation in the untouched natural beauty of Alaska. The breathtaking landscape of this pristine wilderness sets the stage for every memorable moment from up-close, awe-inspiring views of glaciers to observing native wildlife, including whales, bears, bald eagles, and moose. This corner of the world offers not only spectacular scenery, but also opportunities to learn about the history and culture of Alaska — from the native people who’ve lived here for centuries to the adventurers seeking their fortunes during the gold rush. No matter which sailing you choose, you’ll journey through the ever-popular Inside Passage — one of the most popular experiences on any Alaska vacation — and visit Hubbard Glacier or Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier.
News
Aug 3, 2022Skunk Train Announces New Hike to the Glen Experience
Family travelers and fans of nature and the great outdoors must try Skunk Train’s newest offering, Hike to the Glen. Following the railroad tracks, hikers walk through Pudding Creek into the untouched redwood groves, previously only accessible via the Skunk Train or its railbikes.
ShareThis