The Freer Gallery and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery make up the Smithsonian’s Asian Art museum, and can provide a well-rounded look at some art often over-looked.

The Freer Gallery is location on the National Mall at Jefferson Drive at 12th Street SW, and was the first Smithsonian museum dedicated to the fine arts.  In the gallery you’ll find collections of arts from China, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia.  Also smaller displays from the Near East.  You’ll see Japanese screens, ceramics, sculpture, and manuscripts.

The Arthur M. Sackler Gallery is named for the doctor who donated the original collection.  It is also on the National Mall, at 1050 Independence Avenue SW, and is connected to the Freer by an underground passageway that also serves as exhibition space.  This gallery is home to a beautiful collection of Chinese bronzes and jades, along with painting, lacquer ware, ceramics, metal ware, and sculpture.  There is also a significant collection of Islamic Art.

Both galleries are open daily, 10 am – 5:30 pm, with the exception of Christmas Day.  Admission is FREE.

Photo credit: Unhindered by Talent @flickr

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Visit the Smithsonian Asian Art Museums

The most popular exhibit is Old Sparky, an old electric chair that was used in 361 executions between 1924-64.  It’s displayed in a replica of a death chamber, giving it a rather gruesome reality.  Not my cup of tea, but I understand the macabre appeal.  Sort of.

Other popular exhibit are the carbines used by Bonnie & Clyde, a hollow-heeled boot worn by prisoner Charles Harrelson (father of Woody) that was used to smuggle drugs, and a display of art work made by prisoners.

And everyone enjoys having their photo taken in a real jail cell, where, for a small charge, you can borrow a striped prisoner shirt for a more realistic feel.

The Texas Prison Museum is located at 491 SH 75 North in Huntsville.   It is open Monday – Saturday, 10 am – 5 pm, and Sunday noon – 5.  Closed on major holidays.  Admission is $4 for adults, $3 seniors (60+), $2 youth 6-17 years of age, and FREE for children under 6 years of age.  Discounts offered for AAA members.

Photo credit: SXC

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When Vacation Means Going to Prison

Image: sxc.hu

 When we took family trips, Mother and Father enjoyed stopping at forts, old settlements, historic homes and parks.

When Jim I’ve traveled with our daughter, we’d read historic markers and learn about the countryside we traversed.  These stops made nice breaks in sometimes lengthy drives.  Some of them included:

• Following portions of the Oregon Trail
• Visiting Living History Farms in Des Moines, Iowa
• Learning about pioneers at Windlass Hill, Nebraska
• Backpacking into the mountains around Jackson Hole, Wyoming
• Viewing where pioneers crossed various rivers of the West
• Touring the famous Mt. Washington Hotel at Brenton Woods, NH
• Trekking around Gettysburg Batttlefield, PA

You’ll likely find many places to visit close to your home.  Also, as you plan your trip, check out, on the Internet, the historic sites and places of interest in areas where you’re visiting. 

What have you explored of historic significance?

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Exploring History as a Theme

The story of Disney will evolve from the drawings of his youth, to the founding of his first company (Laugh-

Walt Disney Stamp from 1968

O-GramFilms), to the birth of Mickey Mouse, to the opening of Disneyland.  Along the way, you’ll discover just how creative and technically innovative Disney was, and learn how about some of the revolutionary techniques and concepts that became commonplace.  This guy was a creative genius!

The exhibits will be full of film clips, art, scripts, photographs, personal correspondence, home movies, and other artifacts that give us a glimpse into the man and his creative processes.  And, as you would expect, there will be lots of video monitors throughout the museum, along with lots of interactive displays.  The museum also has a movie theater, learning center, cafe, and gift shop.

The Walt Disney Family Museum is located at 104 Montgomery Street in San Francisco, and will be open Wednesday – Monday, 10 am – 6 pm.  It will be closed on Tuesdays.

Admission is by timed-entry tickets, available for purchase online up to 60 days in advance.  Tickets may not be available at the door, based on online sales, so plan to buy online and guarantee yourself admission.  Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for seniors (65+) and students, $12.50 for children ages 6-17, and children under age 6 are admitted FREE with an adult admission.  Tickets are already on sale.

Strollers are not permitted in the galleries, and there is only limited stroller parking available.  If you’re traveling with little ones, take this into consideration.  Strollers are best left behind, and you’ll be prepared to carry your little one when tired.

Traffic and parking in the Presidio is often difficult, so consider public transportation.  Get specific transportation and parking information from The Presidio’s website.

It sounds like there’s one MORE reason to visit San Francisco!

Photo source: wikimedia

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Walt Disney Family Museum to Open October 1st

Forty years later, Houston, home to Johnson Space Center and Mission Control, celebrates again, with a variety of events, attractions and exhibitions  commemorating the lunar landing and our fascination with space.

Buzz Aldrin, Apollo 11

Discovery Green:  Spacefest – The downtown park partners with NASA and Rice University to host activities that celebrate the historic lunar landing.  Exhibits and films are designed for education and for fun.  July 17-20th.  FREE.

Houston Astros – For the July 20th game, the Astros will wear caps that feature the Apollo 11 mission patch, and give away replica caps to the first 10,000 fans.  Pre-game activities will feature residents who played an important role in the Apollo space program.

Space Center Houston – The Official Space Museum, sponsored by NASA, visitors can take a look at Apollo 17 and A Saturn V rocket.  Lots of great exhibits including a chance to touch moon rocks.  Visitors can also sit in the gallery of Mission Control, imagining what it must have been like to experience the moon landing from the nerve center of it all.  Tickets are $19.95 for adults, $18.95 for seniors, and $15.95 for kids.  A variety of discounts and promotional rates may be available.  Additionally, Space Center Houston is a Houston City Pass attraction.

The Health Museum – With its Facing Mars exhibit, visitors will have a chance to explore more than 28 interactive stations.  You can walk on Mars, with an exhibit that simulate Martian gravity, or become a rocket scientist for a day with an opportunity to test and launch rockets.  Lots to look at and think about as you ponder the challenges involved in journeying to Mars.  The exhibit runs through September 20th, 2009.  Admission is $8 for adults, and $6 for seniors and kids.  The Health Museum is also a Houston City Pass attraction.

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston – An upcoming exhibit titled, The Moon:  Houston, Tranquility Base Here.  The Eagle has Landed, celebrates the Apollo space missions, and the relationship the missions and astronauts had with the moon.  Approximately 30 works of arts pay tribute to the moon.  Additionally, some 17th-century telescopes and other scientific implements will be on display.  The exhibit runs September 27th, 2009 through January 10th, 2010.  Admission is $7 for adults, and $3.50 for kids and seniors.  FREE admission on Thursdays.  The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston is also a Houston City Pass attraction.

Houston Symphony – The symphony joins with NASA to present The Planets – An HD Odyssey.  Merging classical music with a giant screen with images from the Mars Rover, Hubble telescope, and past missions to Mars, this performance is an visual and audio masterpiece.  January 21st, 23rd, and 24th, 2010.

I remember following the Apollo 11 mission on television with my family.  It still gives me chills watching the original footage today.

Photo credit:  wikimedia

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Houston Celebrates: The Eagle Has Landed

The prestigious art collection started off very, very small — with a small gift of eight prints and one drawing.  Since then, it has burgeoned to a collection of over 150,000 paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints, photographs, architectural models and drawings, and design objects.  There is also an impressive photography collection, with over 22,000 films and four million still photos.

The special exhibitions mingle with the permanent collection, and provide a good mix of subjects, style, mediums, and time periods.  You can choose a segment of the museum, and spend in depth time viewing and learning.  You’ll find a lot of art students doing just that.  Or, you can do as I usually prefer, to wander through getting a peek at everything, stopping to spend a little more time when something is of particular interest.

A current exhibit that intrigues me is Cezanne to Picasso, on display through August 31st, 2009 (a selection in the photo below). You can check the exhibition schedule to find out what will be on display when you visit.  I’d recommend checking the exhibits as that will help you plan your day and how to best use your time.

Weather permitting, save time to visit the sculpture garden, full of modern sculpture, reflecting pools, and plants.  A peaceful respite from a busy day in the big city.

MoMA offers great audio programming.  You can pick up a FREE portable player at the museum, giving you full access to audio programming in any sequence that you choose.  You can also connect to the FREE MoMA WiFi with your personal handheld device and listen to the programming that way.  And if you’re not in NYC, but want to learn more, there are great options as well.  Check out the full listing of MoMA audio programming and make the selection that’s best for you

MoMA is located at 11 East 53rd Street (between 5th and 6th Avenue) in Manhattan.  It can be reached easily by subway, taking the E or V to 5th/53rd Street, or the B, D, or F, to 4-50/Rockefeller Center.

Museum hours are Monday, Wednesday-Thursday, Saturday and Sunday 10:30 am to 5:30 pm. Friday till 8 pm. During July and August, the museum stays open till 8:45 on Thursday as part of It is closed on Tuesday.

Tickets are $20/adults, $16/seniors (65+), and $12 students. Children under 16 are FREE. Tickets are available online, and will save you lots of time waiting in the ticket line.

Photo credits:  Courtesy of the Museum of Modern Art.

View from 54th street of The Lewis B. and Dorothy Cullman Education and Research Building, designed by Yoshio Taniguchi.
© 2006 Timothy Hursley

Paul Cézanne (French, 1839-1906), Still Life with Fruit Dish. 1879-80.  Oil on canvas. 18 1/4 x 21 1/2″ (46.4 x 54.6 cm). The Museum of Modern Art. Fractional gift of Mr. and Mrs. David Rockefeller.

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Have an Artful Experience at NYC’s MoMA

If a king was coming to visit my house, I am sure I would be in a whirlwind of preparations.  Such is the case of The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis.  After months of construction, reconstruction and improvements the world’s largest children’s museum is set for the arrival of the king – King Tut that is.

A new exhibit, Tutankhamum: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs will open at The Children’s Museum on June 27th and run through October 25th, 2009.  Over 130 treasures from the tomb of the “Boy King” and other important rulers from 2,000 years of ancient Egyptian history will be on exhibit.  Many of these splendid objects have never been seen in the United States.

The wonder of the Egyptian pharaohs, their purpose in the earthly and divine worlds, and what their rule meant to the people of Egypt will be the focus of the exhibit.  Among the powerful leaders whose artifacts will be displayed:

• Khefren – whose great pyramid remains among the seven wonders of the ancient world
• Hatshepsut – the queen who became king
• Psusennes I – owner of a golden death mask
• Tutankhamum – the boy king who died under mysterious circumstances around the age of 18 or 19 during his ninth year of reign, in 1323 B.C.

Of the 11 major galleries located within The Children’s Museum, four will be devoted to King Tut.  Each will correspond to the four rooms of his tomb – the antechamber, the annex, the treasury and the burial chamber.

The legendary treasures, discovered in 1922, will include Tutankhamun’s golden sandals, jewelry, furniture, weaponry, one of four canopic jars inlaid with gold and precious stones and CT scans of Tut’s mummy.  Among the statuary will be the largest image of King Tut ever found, a 10-foot statute that retains much of its original paint.

A timed-entry ticket must be purchased in combination with General Admission to the Museum, and specifies a 30-minute entry window for admission to the exhibit. Once inside the exhibition, visitors may stay as long as they wish within normal business hours.  Purchasing tickets in advance is highly recommended to ensure entry for a preferred date and time. Check information for exhibit hours and ticket prices.

The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis is a nonprofit facility committed to enriching the lives of children as it enhances their natural curiosity and love of learning.   Through its dedication to the areas of physical and natural science, history, world cultures and the arts, The Children’s Museum is a place to interact and learn.  The Museum has been a favorite place of mine to visit since I was a child and a place I love to take my children.

The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis is located at 3000 North Meridian Street in Indianapolis.

Jenni Ingersoll shares her love of all things Disney, writing at The Disney Traveler for PlanetEye.

Photo credit: Valerie Everett @flickr

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The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis: Fit for a King

At its current location among the brownstones of Dupont Circle (1600 21st Street NW, on the corner of Q and 21st), the Phillips has two buildings full of art and a outdoor courtyard for sculpture display.  The permanent collection includes works from American and European impressionists, post-impressionist, and modern artists.  You’ll also see some of the great masters, including Degas, Renoir, Cezanne, Klee, Monet, Picasso, and Matisse.

Current exhibits on display are:  Early Moderns: A Celebration of Gifts from Gifford and Joann Phillips, running March 21-September 6, 2009, and this is not that CAFÉ, running May 7-December 2009.

The Phillips Collection has be reached via Metro’s red line Dupont Circle stop.

Hours are Tuesday – Saturday, 10 am – 5 pm, and Sunday, 11 am – 6 pm.  Thursday night offers extended evening hours, and the museum is open until 8:30 pm.  On the first Thursday of the month, Phillips after 5 offers jazz performances, food and drink, gallery talks and film, running from 5 – 8:30 pm.  Sunday concerts are also offered October – May.

Weekday admission to the permanent collection is by donation.  Weekend admission and special exhibits are $12 for adults, $10 for student and seniors (62+).  Tickets can be purchased online through Ticketmaster or at the museum.

Photo credit:   daquella manera @flickr

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The Phillips Collection in Washington DC

Udvar-Hazy is full of exhibits that you may find familiar, including the Enola Gay, an Air France Concorde, the Space Shuttle Enterprise, the Gemini VII space capsule, and the quarantine unit used for the returning crew of Apollo 11.   There are lots of other exhibits that cover both military and private aviation and space exploration.

You’ll also find an IMAX theater, flight simulator, and observation tower.  From the tower you’ll get a nice view of the surrounding area, as well as have a prime viewing spot for watching take offs and landings at Dulles Airport.

Fit your museum viewing time to your available time, and wander through at a comfortable pace.  You can spend hours and hours looking at everything, or just a quick hour to catch the highlights.  Pick up a “flight plan” at the visitor’s center and locate the important displays and artifacts so you don’t miss anything on your must-see list.

The Center is open daily (except Christmas Day) from 10 am to 5:30 pm, with an extended closing time of 6:30 pm during the summer.

Museum admission is FREE; daily parking is $15.  There is a shuttle between the two Air and Space Museums, and between the Center and Dulles Airport.  A taxi from the airport to the museum will run about $12-15.

Photos courtesy of National Air and Space Museum

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Udvar-Hazy Center Near Dulles Airport

At the Idaho Potato Museum (formerly known as the Idaho Potato Expo) there’s a giant baked potato that just catches your eye and makes you stop the car to see what it’s all about.

Photo credit: Stock Exchange

The expo claims to enlighten you on information about the agricultural, historical, social, scientific, educational, artistic and economic aspects of the world-famous Idaho potato.

Here are just a few of the “spud-tacular” exhibits full of information and fun, even if a little corny as well:

Equipment displays
The World’s Largest Styrofoam Potato – a popular photo site
A tribute to Mr. Potato Head — c’mon, who doesn’t like Mr. Potato Head
An imaginative “Potato In Space” display
The world’s largest potato chip – 25×14-inch Pringle
The Gift Shop also sells potato fudge, potato ice cream and potato cookies, along with a host of potato souvenirs. Potato fudge? I have my doubts!

The Idaho Potato Museum is located at 130 NW Main Street, in Blackfoot, Idaho (map it). It is open October – March, 9:30am – 3 pm, April – September, 9:30 – 5 pm. Admission is $3 for adults; $2.50 for seniors, $1 for children ages 6 – 12, and free for children under 6. Admission includes a free potato sample.

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Family Fun at the Idaho Spud Museum