Usually, when politicians speak at dinners or make announcements during photo ops, their statements are hardly inspiring or memorable.

But amid the congratulatory platitudes and awful fish puns of Mayor Bloomberg’s address at the launch of the aquarium’s “Sea Change,” he made an important point:

While many cry “Cut! Cut!” during this economic crisis, Bloomberg said the multi-million dollar project was important especially now. “We’re not going to make the same mistakes of the 1970s,” when the city severely cut back on cultural and enrichment programs during a similar crisis, he said. “It took decades to recover from that.”

The mayor, for one, is indeed learning from history. Aquariums, museums, libraries, live theaters, and the like (notice, Mr. Borough President, that we didn’t include intrusive rock-concert amphitheaters) are vital to any large city, but are particularly essential in the unique city of New York.

This is not only because of the dollars that flow into the city from New Yorkers and tourists who patronize these venues. It’s also because these are the essence of a world-city like New York. Take away these things, and what do you have? A collection of glass, brick and concrete without a soul.

Of course, this is not to say that maintaining cultural and educational institutions will solve all the critical problems of the city -- housing, health care, crime, unemployment (although these projects do create many jobs).

But the worst thing to do during financial hard times, is to focus solely on the material, and forget all the higher pursuits of mind and spirit.