I wish there were some good art museums in my area.... at any rate, a memory that sticks out in my mind is seeing, for my first time, an actual painting by Salvadore Dali. Not print picture or poster, but an actual painting done by his hand.

Completely different experience. Can't put words to it entirely, but it was kind of like getting in touch with the fact that this is an object created by a person, not just some image that emerged anonymously from the realm of culture. Really awakening moment.