Library of Congress Moving Pictures and Sound Recordings Packard Campus in Culpeper Virginia

We love movies. In Milwaukee we used to go to one almost every Sunday - probably because in the winter it was the best recreation for us on a freezing winter day. But we grew up on movies - at the drive in and with my family for Sunday matinees. Since we moved to DC, we haven't even been inside a movie theater. We usually rent new features through cable, but more likely record on the DVR and watch one when we feel like it. I particularly like movies from the 40's. So for anyone who likes moving pictures, a ride to Culpeper Virginia to the Library of Congress Moving Pictures and Sound Recordings location was a treat. It's even more of a treat when you are able to go as part of your work. Some of my colleagues needed to meet vendors there for some business, and several of us went along for the ride. It took about two hours on the Library's bus for about ten of us to travel there from DC. The main purpose of the campus is to house old flammable nitrate film in vaults that are maintained at freezing temperatures. The oldest film is from the 1890's! Any one who ventures in to the vaults needs to wear Wisconsin like winter clothing. And for that reason alone it is one place I would not care to work. Many of the classics are there including the Three Stooges, and old Frankenstein films of which Quentin Tarantino browsed; Ginger Rogers personal collection, stored Disney masterpieces, RKO studio films. Everywhere are old movie posters and sound & recording experts who convert sound and film from and to new and old devices of all kinds. A 1920's film was being restored while we watched. The place was a bank vault at one time out in the middle of no where.  It's amazing to think all of the items we didn't see. If you live in the area, free films are shown every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday - with an organ if needed. I'm not sure I would have gone there otherwise, but it was a great way to spend a day at "work." Can you imagine doing that for a living?