Obviously, you're going to be naked during the tour, but you have to wear something to get there, right? So I was thinking, would it be a good idea to wear something that's easy to slip on and off? Or should I take advantage of the opportunity to not wear any clothes, and just go naked under a coat? But it's still winter, and the temperature was below freezing, and parking was limited, and we ended up having to walk a couple of blocks, so...
I think I made the right decision in the end - to dress in layers. I figured the feeling of being naked would be enhanced by the contrast, after stripping off all my clothes. There was also the question of what shoes to wear, since they were required for the tour. In this case, I opted for less coverage, choosing a pair of flip flops. If I was going to have the rare opportunity to be naked in a novel environment, I was going to want to be as naked as possible.
However, in an ironic twist, the only time I felt truly naked was when I took off my shoes, for one of the exhibits. It was a hall of mirrors. Being naked, surrounded by mirrors, with the club photographer snapping photos of me posing next to a mannequin (I wish I could share some of those pictures with you, but that's up to the discretion of the group) - I had to be careful not to enjoy myself too much, considering the association I have between nudity, mirrors, and cameras. ;-p
All in all, the selection of installations was interesting - to say the least - for a nude tour, with different pieces having visitors crawling through tunnels on their hands and knees, groping around in the dark, staring through an open hole in the side of the building, and, of course, being surrounded by mirrors. But the interactivity made the tour a lot of fun. More fun, perhaps, than you would expect from a visit to a museum.
I'm sure the atmosphere will vary depending on the hosting location and the personality of the group organizing it, but this tour was a lot less formal than I expected it to be. And more popular - with demographics a bit more diverse than I'm used to seeing at nudist camp. I even saw a few familiar faces!
Let me tell you, squeezing into a crowded elevator heightens your awareness of personal space when everybody is naked. I must give kudos to the museum tour guides (who remained fully dressed) for taking it all in stride. It all felt so natural; once again it makes me wonder why we make such a big deal about nudity. If you ever get the chance to go on a naked museum/art gallery tour, you should take it. It's an experience I wouldn't hesitate to repeat!
