Tag Archives: Museum

Artists Wanted – Georgetown, Colorado

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Historic Georgetown, Inc. Art Exhibition

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Colorado celebrates the 150th anniversary of the Colorado Gold Rush during 2009. Special events are scheduled in many communities throughout the summer.

Historic Georgetown, Inc. plans, “Archival Art and the Art of Mining,” a free exhibition at the Hamill House Museum Stables from July 25 to September 5, 2009. Opening and closing receptions are planned along with a live and silent auction.

If you’re an artist check their website for entry details and forms. Artwork must have a mining theme.

If you’re a Colorado resident or tourist this summer plan a visit to Georgetown and other communities celebrating our mining heritage. 

Northern Arizona Exploration Pass – Flagstaff, Arizona

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Incentive Program to Scientific Wonders of Northern Arizona

lowell-clark-domeThree premier attractions in the Flagstaff area have joined together to offer an Exploration Pass giving $2 discounts on admission to each the Lowell Observatory (see blog), Meteor Crater and the Museum of Northern Arizona. The free passes are available at the three attractions and the Flagstaff Visitor Center located next to the downtown train station.

 

metero-craterMeteor Crater is located 35 east of Flagstaff. View the 4,000′ across and 550′ deep crater, explore space, meteorite and asteroid exhibits in the Learning Center, watch the “Collisions and Impacts” movie or take a one-hour guided rim tour.

 

mna-dinosaurNine Galleries at the Museum of Northern Arizona introduces the visitor to the region through Native cultures, tribal lifeways, natural sciences and fine art. The Mystery of the Sickle-Claw Dinosaur exhibit introduces therizinosaur, the newest and strangest dinosaur skeleton found in North America.

Pick up a free Exploration Pass and discover scientific wonders from the depths of the earth to the heavens.

Lowell Observatory – Flagstaff, Arizona

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Seeing Stars – The Solar System and Beyond

Delight with a Lowell Observatory visit replaced the previous week’s disappointment at the Whipple (see blog) Visitor Clowell-pluto-dome-2enter. Monday morning brought clouds and a soft rain to Sedona, the things we had planned to do were outdoor activities. We decide to drive up Oak Creek Canyon to Flagstaff for a couple of indoor attractions.

The Lowell Observatory campus caps Mars Hill immediately west of Flagstaff. The facility offers an interesting mix of historic and futuristic astronomy, public educational programs and scientific research.

We arrive at the Lowell Observatory Steele Visitor Center a few minutes before the beginning of the hourly tour. The “Discovery at Lowell Observatory” show in the digital space theatre, relates Lowell’s distinguished history, discovery of Pluto and current research and observations including Kuiper Belt objects in tlowell-guide-with-clark1he outer solar system. A guide leads the tour group through the campus to the dome housing the historic 24″ Alvan Clark refractor telescope. Percival Lowell spent a great deal of time observing Mars from this scope in the early 1900s. Evening programs allow public viewing of night skies – weather dependent, or course.

The official tour ends with a visit to the Rotunda Museum, a depository for historic artifacts and astronomy displays including the story of how Flagstaff was selected as the observatory’s home and a hands-on exhibit for children. We choose to take the Pluto Walk to the dome where Pluto was first discovered in 1930 by Clyde Tombaugh. Markers along the path denote planets of our solar system with fun facts, distances between “planets” are in scale.

lowell-exhibit1Back in the Visitor Center we spend time in the interactive Discover the Universe hall. Exhibits cover from how the eye sees to the order of planets from the sun.  Attractive, informative and well maintained the exhibits are in direct contrast to what we found at Whipple the week prior. A multimedia show “Lowell Observatory: A New Century of Discovery” in the Giclas auditorium reports on the construction of the 4.2-meter Discovery Channel Telescope. Because the sun was a no show on this day we did not get to view the star through the special-filtered solar filtered, an activity usually available from 9:30-9:55am. Before departing Bob spent time selecting a book in the gift shop while I canvassed the staff for lunch recommendations.

lowell-2009-poster1Significant because of the 400th anniversary of Gaileo first pointing a telescope skyward, 2009 has been designated the International Year of Astronomy. Lowell Observatory will offer special programs and exhibits throughout the year.

Flagstaff wasn’t originally on our agenda for this trip. The rain created change of plans opened the opportunity for an educational day of new experiences. By the time we returned to Sedona in late afternoon the sun made intermittent appearances. We visited Red Rocks Crossing and Bell Rock before the sunset ritual on Airport Mesa. A richly rewarding day because of plan B – even though we didn’t originally have one.

When You Go: Lowell Obsevatory Visitor Center is open daily except for major holidays. Hours March through October are 9am – 5 pm, November through February Noon – 5pm. Evening hours are Monday through Saturday 5:30 – 10pm June, July and August, Monday/Wednesday/Friday/Saturday 5:30 – 9:30pm September through May. Reservations are not required nor accepted for public programs.

Arizona – Sonora Desert Museum – Tucson, Arizona

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Better than Ever

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Since its inception the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum has receive accolades as one of the world’s premier interpretive nature facilities. The combination zoo, natural history museum and botanical garden brings life in the diverse Sonora Desert into focus.

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Desert flowers are beginning to bloom and here and there a cactus shows off a blossom.  Photographing plants and animals in the museum gave us a great deal of pleasure today. Please enjoy some of my favorite pictures from  this visit. These are all from my little pocket Nikon, imagine what Bob’s shots will look like. Check back later for additional photos and information about the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum.

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Visiting Abraham Lincoln Sites

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All Things Lincoln

 Two hundred years ago Abraham Lincoln was born in a simple Kentucky cabin. With little formal education but great vision, determination, and integrity he abolished slavery and preserved the Union of the United States. Even 144 years after his death the impact of his leadership lives on. Honor the 16th President by visiting one of the sites memorializing Lincoln.

Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site – Hodgenville, Kentucky

Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial – Lincoln City, Indiana

lincoln-memorial2Lincoln’s New SalemState Historic Site – Petersburg, Illinois

Lincoln Log CabinState Historic Site – Lerna, Illinois

Lincoln/Douglas Debate Museum – Charleston, Illinois

Lincoln Home National Historic Site – Springfield, Illinois

Lincoln – Hendon Law Offices – Springfield, Illinois

Old State Capitol – Springfield, Illinois

Ford Theater National Historic Site – Washington D.C.

Lincoln Tomb – Oak Ridge Cemetery, Springfield, Illinois

Lincoln Memorial – Washington D.C.

*Rant* – Shame on You, State of Illinois

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More Shame for the State of Illinois

There are times when I’m embarrassed to admit I’m from Illinois. My ancestors moved westward with the frontier in the early 1800s from Virginia, through Cumberland Gap, stopping in Ohio and Indiana before finally settling on the Illinois prairie. Reality is that Central Illinois was a great place for growing up and gave me a firm basis for the values I hold and who I am today. However, the shameful political history is an embarrassment and against all values learned on Illinois soil.

As if the recent governor debacle isn’t bad enough when I sat down to write about my visit to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum I made a new discovery. The Governor’s Office under the orders of now – thankfully -ex-governor Rod Blagojevich  has closed 25 historic sites and state parks including four designated National Historic Landmarks. Reviewing the list I see that none are in Chicago or Cook County, the great sinkhole of state funds goes untouched while places like the Carl Sandburg home, Fort Kaskaskia (Illinois’ First Capitol), Kickapoo State Park and the Vandalia Statehouse are shuttered and barricaded. Any member of the public entering the closed parks or sites will be arrested and charged with trespassing. Now, isn’t that a friendly use of taxpayer money?

Sites directly connected with Abraham Lincoln are among those closed. Just in time for the 200th anniversary of Lincoln’s birth. Vandalia Statehouse was the location of most of Lincoln’s time as a member of the Illinois state legislature.

lincoln-log-cabin-2Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site was the location of Thomas Lincoln’s farm from 1840 until his death. While Abe never lived on the site he owned and maintained the farm for his stepmother, Sarah Bush Lincoln, after his father died in 1851. He stopped to visit Sarah in early 1861 on his way to his presidential inauguration.

Located eight miles south of Charleston, Illinois the historic site encompasses a replica of Thomas’ log cabin surrounded by a subsistence farm with heirloom crops and cattle breeds. The Stephen Sargent home, reflecting the practices of successful cash crop farming in the 1850s, is also part of the site. Nearby is the Reuben Moore Home where Lincoln and Sarah met for a final time. A living Abraham Lincoln never returned to Illinois.

The need for a replica log cabin holds quite a story. In 1893 the original cabin was disassembled and shipped to Chicago for the World’s Columbian Exposition. Somehow after the exposition the cabin was lost – perhaps used as firewood. Many photographs existed and a replica was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1934.

Before the Blagojevich closing both the Lincoln and Sargent farms supported an active living history program. I’ve visited many such programs around the country and this was absolutely one of the best. The participants weren’t actors or characters, they lived life as the original families would have – growing crops with tools of the period, raising cattle, mucking out the barns, cooking over wood-burning stoves, eating with crude utensils. Authenticity went right down to the hand sewn period underwear worn by the interpreters. This was the only site in the state of Illinois to offer regular first person interpretation.

lincoln-log-cabin-kids1In 2008, volunteers gave over 13,000 hours of their time to ensure that Lincoln Log Cabin was open and accessible to visitors from all 50 states and many other countries. Volunteer support enables the Fifth Grade Live-In and Summer Youth Educational Programs.

The Lincoln-Sargent Farm Foundation is a nonprofit private group that supports the educational programming at Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site. Foundation board members are evaluating what potential exists for the foundation to assist the site during the forced closing. Please consider making a donation to help support the efforts of the Foundation in maintaining educational programming and the preservation of rural heritage. Click here to download a form for mailing.

I’m betting the hard working, dedicated volunteers will find a way to overcome the obstacles created by “their” state government. Plus, my check will be in tomorrow’s mail.

 

 

Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum – Springfield, Illinois

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Meet Mr. Lincoln / Mr. President

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A visit to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum in Springfield, Illinois offers a broad perspective on our 16th president. As we celebrate his 200th birthday this facility, which opened in 2005, is the best place I’ve seen to meet Mr. Lincoln.

“Journeys,” exhibits and multi-media theaters relate Lincoln’s life and influence. Journey One takes us through the Pre-Presidential Years. Beginning with “Carving a Family Home” we visit a log cabin symbolic of his early years growing up in Indiana. “Self-Taught” take us to his teen years and the image of Lincoln reading borrowed books by firelight. “On the River, The Slave Auction, New Salem, Life in Springfield, The Permissive Parent, Campaign 1860, On to Washington” vignettes propel us to the beginning of Lincoln’s presidency.

After completing Journey One, The Union Theater presentation “Lincoln’s Eyes” offers a change of pace and more insight. The state-of-the-art theater presentation immerses the visitor into the dramas and issues facing Lincoln. We come away with a deeper understanding of his vision, courage and integrity. lincoln-museum-plaza

Journey Two spans the White House years as we move from the “White House South Portico’ to “What Are They Wearing in Washington?” and the beginning of the Civil War at “Fort Sumter.” I found “The Whispering Gallery” one of the most impactful scenes. In a twisted hallway we hear the unkind voices of critics talking about the Lincolns’ first months in Washington. Political cartoons and ugly caricatures cover the walls. We realize that history tells a different story than the views and fears of any political time.

The story continues through more than a dozen scenes – “The Death of Willie, Emancipation Proclamation, The Gettysburg  Gallery, Ford’s Theater,” and “The Funeral Train.” The compelling “Lying in State” is a recreation of Springfield’s Old State Capitol and the lavish trappings of Victorian-era mourning. A hushed reverence settles on visitors as they pass the closed replica casket. I feel as if I am paying my last respects.lincoln-ghost1

A second theater presents “Ghosts of the Library.” The historian/curator host of the dramatic presentation takes us magically into the Presidential Library. He explains the importance of preserving items such as a music box or quill and the history they relate. My husband is still talking about the live actor slowly dissolving into thin air. We later learn about the Holavision® technology used in the show.

Additional permanent exhibits include a Treasures Gallery of actual items that were part of Lincoln’s everyday life and Ask Mr. Lincoln, an interactive theater where you’ll get answers and advice in Lincoln’s own words. Mrs. Lincoln’s Attic is a hands-on room for kids of any age. Dress up as a Civil War soldier, rearrange the furniture in the Lincoln Home doll house or take pictures with a life-size cutout of young Abe. The Illinois Gallery houses temporary exhibits.

You’ll be amazed at the Lincoln Museum experience, this is not your grandfather’s museum of dusty relics, Disneyesque yet relating an important part of our nation’s history. I’m betting you’ll spent twice as long as you planned and that even hard-to-entertain kids will come away with a vivid history lesson they’ll remember.

Of course, there’s an extensive gift shop with more Lincoln related items and books than you can imagine. A cafe offers hot and cold sandwiches, salads, soups, deserts and beverages, daily 10am-4pm. Across the street The Presidential Library houses a repository for materials relating to Lincoln and the state of Illinois. You’re welcome to enter but facilities primarily serve scholars and researchers.

When You Go: The Museum is open daily 9am-5pm except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s days. Check the website for admission fees and visitation details.

Denver Art Museum – Denver, Colorado

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Free First Saturdays

art-museum1The doors to the Denver Art Museum open the first Saturday of every month at no cost to Colorado residents. Sponsored by Target with support from the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District, free days make great family outings. The museum staff and volunteers roll out lots of hands-on activities in addition to the Family Backpacks, Art Tubes and Hotspots always of interest to younger visitors.

When You Go: Denver Art Museum open 10am – 5pm on Saturdays, check the website for other days/hours information. Located in the Civic Center Cultural Complex, 13th Avenue between Broadway and Bannock Streets.

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Martin Luther King NHS- Atlanta, Georgia

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Remembering Martin Luther King, Jr.

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During a trip to Atlanta we felt compelled to visit the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site, comprised of several facilities operated in partnership with the National Park Service, Ebenezer Baptist Church and The King Center. We recall the influence and leadership this man had on our nation’s history as we tour the sites. This is history we lived through – remembering life before and after the thrust of the Civil Rights Movement, remembering the highlights and tragedies of Dr. King’s life.mlk-freedom-road3

 

 

The National Park Service Visitor Center provides an orientation and perspective in the featured exhibit Courage To Lead. Films, New Time, New Voice and Children of Courage run throughout the day in the theatre. I found the Freedom Road exhibit a powerful memorial to everyday people, the “foot soldiers,” dedicated to the Civil Rights Movement through their actions of non-violent protests – marches, sit-ins, demonstrations  while facing resistance,  physical harm and potential arrest.

Visiting the park is self-guided except for ranger led tours of the MLK Birth Home. Tours are conducted on a first-come, first-served basis the day of the tour, no advance reservations. Tours last about 30 minutes, starting every half hour between 10 am and 5 pm. Birth Home tours fill quickly, register early in the day at the Visitor Center information desk.

mlk-beholdOutside the visitors center, in the Peace Plaza, stands Behold by sculptor Patrick Morelli. The ancient African ritual of lifting a newborn child to the heavens and reciting the words, “Behold the only thing greater than yourself,” inspired the monumental sculpture.

Across Auburn Avenue stands the Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church where Rev. King and his father both preached and the site of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s funeral. The Heritage Sanctuary is currently closed for restoration, projected reopening is late 2009.

The King Center was established in 1968 by Coretta Scott King to preserve the legacy of her husband and his role as leader of America’s greatest nonviolent movement for justice, equality and peace. Exhibits record the works and time-lines of Dr. King, Jr., Coretta Scott King and Mahatma Gandhi.

We ended our visit across the reflecting pool from King’s crypt. A quiet moment for our own reflections.mlk-tomb

January 15, 2009 would have been Martin Luther King, Jr.’s 80th birthday. I can’t but marvel at the impact the man had during the 39 years he lived, a forever impact on equality and justice.

The National Historic Site is open daily except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s days. Current visitor information at 404-331-6922 or on the website. For a comprehensive visit plan at minimum one-half day.

Mission San Xavier del Bac – Tucson, AZ

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Unveiling – Mission San Xavier del Bac

sanxaviermission2008The scaffolding that encased the west tower of the historic mission church came down just in time for Christmas services. Restoration of the tower took five years and over $5 million dollars to complete. Old cement plaster was carefully removed and brick work repaired before refinishing with traditional lime plaster. Original construction began in 1783 – the oldest European-style building in Arizona. A mix of Moorish, Byzantine and late Mexican Renaissance design San Xavier del Bac is acclaimed as the finest example of mission architecture in the United States.

For years visitors have been frustrated trying to capture photos of the Southwestern icon, often referred to as the “White Dove of the Desert.” Photographers better hurry to capture the unblemished glistening white tower. Scaffolding goes up on the east tower in March, its restoration is expected to take three years.21-san-xavier-del-bac1

Located west of I-90, south of Tucson, the mission is open to the public daily from 8 am – 5 pm. There is no fee to visit but contributions to the restoration fund gratefully accepted. A gift shop adjoins the church. When you visit don’t miss the amazing interior and the museum behind the church. A video of the interior restoration merits the viewing time. This is an active parish of the Tohono O’odham, be respectful of worshipers.