Man Records History of Humanity in Stone
At 90 years old, Jacques-Andre Istel understands the power of history. He was 11 in 1940, when he came from France to the US to avoid the Nazi invasion. He’s been called “the father of American skydiving,” after founding the first sport parachuting school in the US. He even owns a piece of the Eiffel Tower, which he keeps on his front lawn.
But Istel’s most lasting achievement will surely be the Museum of History in Granite, in Felicity, California. The museum was founded in 2002, with the following mission: “to engrave in granite highlights of the collective memory of humanity.”
The Museum of History in Granite
The outdoor museum is made up of monuments constructed from concrete, steel, and granite, which are designed to last 4,000 years. Each monument is about 30 meters long and holds 60 panels of Missouri red granite, each weighing over 200 kilograms. Text and pictures are hand-engraved by experts onto the granite panels.
The largest of the exhibits is the “History of Humanity.” Istel has summarized all of human history on 416 panels, which are still being engraved. Asked when the project might be finished, Istel replies, “The last hundred or so may have to be engraved by successors. [But] as an optimist, I hope to complete the work.”
The "History of Humanity"
At the center of the “History of Humanity” sits the “Felicity Stone,” based on the Rosetta Stone which allowed ancient Egyptian text to be translated and understood. Each side contains the same message in a different language, part of which reads, “On behalf of the people of the world, this monument is designed as a key for visitors of the far distant future to understand our writings.”
When asked what someone from the distant future might think of humanity after visiting his museum, Istel simply says, “Your guess is as good as mine.”
Whether or not it lasts 4,000 years, the museum is popular today. It’s even been nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Istel hopes it will make people want to keep learning about the world, saying, “The purest form of education may be a self-directed search for knowledge.”
