The invention of the letter slot 📮 | Bulletin #125

Will you be our pen pal? 💌

April 09, 2025

Japan Railways 📍 Tokyo, Japan 📸 Marjorie Becker

World-renowned for their incredible speeds and punctuality, Japan's bullet trains once had an unfortunate side effect: When they entered a tunnel, a massive sound wave would explode from the other side - disturbing wildlife and locals alike. Fortunately, an engineer found an elegant solution by observing the Kingfisher bird. The Kingfisher's long, uniquely shaped beak allows it to displace water effortlessly when diving for food. Inspired by this, modern bullet trains now feature a similar "beak" design, enabling them to move through tunnels with minimal noise - but still right on time.

THIS WEEK IN AWA AWESOMENESS

🇩🇰 Adventure announcement
💌 Admirable pen pals
🪑 The legacy of a lumber battle
🚗 Our favorite museum hits the road

WE’RE HEADED TO DENMARK!

Yes that’s right, we’ll soon be singing from the shoreline rocks! This June, with our friends at Visit Denmark, we’ll depart for the land of different type of Anderson - Hans Christian Anderson that is! Any perfectly “hygge” sites we need to add to our list? Let us know! 

GRAZIE MILLE, ITALIA

We’re back from living “la dolce vita” with Skyscanner, and we cannot confirm nor deny if we danced in any fountains. It was an amazing time in Italy, and we can’t wait to share our findings with you all!

In Case You Missed It

Even in an ever-virtually connected world, there’s always something sweet about a souvenir photo from a nomadic friend hitting your PO box. In honor of letters that come to us from all over the globe, here’s a little toast to all things postcards. 

✒️ The search for a cursive reader
📮 The invention of the letter slot
🏛️ The Harvard Lampoon Magazine
📨 Longest lasting pen pal friendship

📍 Halley, Idaho 📸 Marjorie Becker

THE WAYBACK WOODEN WAR

Did you know that a fall out between architect Frank Lloyd Wright and his son, John, would (or should we say wood) set the blueprint for one of the most iconic American toys of the 20th century? 

Hôtel de Ville 📍 Honfleur, France 📸 Meg Kehoe

A PORT IN TIME

While this laid-back French port was once a main center for trade and global connection, its greatest export was not spices nor wheat, but global navigators…

OUR FAVORITE MUSEUM IS GOING MOBILE

When the Community suggested we visit the world renowned Office of Collecting and Design last year (thank you Claire!), we weren’t expecting to find such a hidden gem in the desert of Nevada. Now, this amazing one-woman show is saying goodbye to Las Vegas and hitting the road to bring her museum mobile. Take a peek at her progress as she builds out her travel museum here and find tour dates below to see her in a city near you (it’s truly a must see!)

Where could today’s secret link be? It’s a mystery! Ever more mysterious? Today’s prize! Win some surprise never-before-seen AWA merch from our Seoul Exhibition 😱