Pop Art and Huntopia: Back to the Taubman Museum of Art

We are proud members of the Taubman Museum of Art, a museum that always delights with unique and frequently-changing exhibits.  In the displays, there's something "modern," something "traditional," and something unexpected -- what a collection.  On a recent weekend, we stopped in to see the special exhibit Pop Power from Warhol to Koons.

I did need to give the kids a little context on the emergence of modern art, but even with a light treatment of the topic, they enjoyed the exhibit.  We found a sculpture that looked like it could have inspired Funko collectibles, a cool composite portrait of Seinfeld girlfriends, and collections of dots that made E ponder the definition of art.  G's favorites were Warhol images; E appreciated Gazing Ball (Koons).  There are selfie opportunities and cool events (sample here) associated with the works to explore, and the Leiber handbags currently on display are pop-art themed.  Speaking of photo ops, didn't E wear the perfect shirt?

We were also so very glad to stumble upon Huntopia, a world of color, delightfully replicating themes, and novel combinations.  As I put it, I wanted to live in the fanciful yet homelike exhibit which also features furniture and even has some elements on loan from Black Dog Salvage.  I just found this exhibit so delightful, and it ranks with Play, a previous special exhibit, and the amazing piece Corrugated Fountain among my favorite Taubman experiences.

In other exhibit news, both kids were pretty amazed at the works of Julie Speed, which are reminiscent of Hieronymus Bosch.  G was also quite immersed in the Giuseppina Giordiano: Please, Teach Me the Language of a Rose space.

Things to Know

• If you have kids with you, allow for playtime in Art Venture.  On our recent visit, 10-year-old E enjoyed the ample supply of Legos while G made new friends, putting on a play and painting leaf rubbings.  One of the great benefits of Art Venture is the amount of supplies and playthings available -- and the staff takes care to create enriching extension activities associated with the works on display.  

• General admission (exclusive of special exhibits and Art Venture) is free!
• It's worth your investment to become a member of the museum, even with the free admission to the main galleries, especially if you have kids or live close.  We maintain a family membership, catching renewals on sale through social media promotions.  This allows free access to Art Venture, special exhibits, and fun after-hours events for members only. Taubman members also enjoy reciprocity with the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond.  They have a similar model for free general admission, but members get free parking and special exhibit entry as a perk.  
• The museum is close to several unique restaurants in the Roanoke Market area.  On our recent visit, we were very pleased to eat at Cedars where the kids tried Lebanese food.  Speaking of the market area, we can't wait to return and check out the Chimes public art installation this February.
• We usually park at the Tower Parking Garage (Roanoke City public parking) -- Coupon Kim gets excited free days on the weekends.  

Casa Grande: Big House, Little Blog

I saw the brown National Park Service sign driving from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport to Tucson.  So, I found a few extra moments.  Wandering off the beaten path by 12 car minutes, I found Casa Grande Ruins National Monument.  It's a hidden gem.

Casa Grande is a smallish park with a fascinating force to it.  It's a set of built ruins built by a people who lacked domesticated animals to help them.  It represents the possible peak of an era in a civilization -- and holds mystery of its use and its demise.  Be sure to watch the overview film and talk to a docent -- the helpful volunteer I met explained the preservation of the site well.

It's attracted visitors for years, some of whom literally left their mark on it with carvings -- helping you to reflect on how history is remembered, honestly.  The preservation structure over the ruins dates back to the early 1900s.  Bonus: If you also visit Mission San Xavier del Bac, you will discover a connection with the modern-day naming of Casa Grande.  This wonderful mission site was recommended to me by the same helpful volunteer I mentioned above.

I'd been reading The Secret Token by Andrew Lawler on the plane out, thinking about our cultural fascination with the history of the lost colony of Roanoke.  Stay with me here: Lawler in part argues that our connection with Roanoke relates to the complexity of the idea of assimilation.  We are both fearful and hopeful that the lost colonists simply joined nearby indigenous groups.  It turns out the Ancestral Sonoran Desert People honored at this site have in part rejected their previous name, Hohokam, because it means those who have vanished.  Their argument?  Movement, assimilation, and the like do not "end" a group -- and they are still here, both among the ruins and living in the region today.

If you are like me, you didn't know this site was here.  Now, you know better.

Things to Know

• This is a fee-free National Parks Site.  You are off the beaten path but not far from the rest of the world -- I could hear children playing at the nearby school.  Why would you not stop, right?
• There is a small gift shop and museum.
• The ruins are outside with a short loop trail around them -- I'd estimate I walked about .25 mi to take a first look at the ruins.
• Reminder:  This site is not all that far from Phoenix Sky Harbor if you are landing there.
• This trip is poppy approved!  So, for the self-described intellectually curious, this is a great place to ponder human history and its remembrance.  Come, history and social science folks.

For Further Exploration

• Mapquest tells me Montezuma Castle is just 2 hours, 16 minutes away.  These two National Parks would pair particularly nicely.
• I was pleased to see Finders Keepers by Craig Childs available in the gift shop.  I discovered this book on a previous trip and think it gives depth to the conversation around preservation in the US Southwest.

Childhood Dreams: Visiting Biosphere 2

I remember getting PBS-inspired 3-2-1 Contact magazine in the mail.  Actually "young" for the show's recommended age, I watched with both fascination and pride.  I read an article about the initial Biosphere 2 project -- 8 scientists about to be locked in to an enclosed, self-sustaining habitat in the Southwest.  Those scientists inspired me -- I wanted to be a Biospherian the same way I wanted to be an astronaut.  The attraction is magnetic.

Fast forward a few decades, and I find myself in Arizona, awaiting a tour of Biosphere 2 from an animated educational psychology graduate student.  He's working to understand how we learn scientific content from informal education.  It strikes me I should recommend Colleen Dilenschneider's blog to him.

There's an opening film that's updated to include current projects, including a massive collection of data about rainforests in drought conditions and the famed Landscape Evolution Observatory (LEO).  There's an original Biospherian "apartment" on display.  But more importantly, there's a truly immersive tour that walks the space, including content on how the project was engineered, what species can be observed on site, and a dash of history of the original Biospherians.  This. Is. A. Massive. And. Stunning. Lab. I wanted my school's biotechnology students to be there with me.

The resilience so common in the desert -- and certainly part of the way the desert becomes restorative -- is apparent in Biosphere 2.  Now fascinated with technical education, the "technosphere" of the project, or the mechanics of its "breathing," power, and other systems, tells just as amazing of a story.

On the tour in a small group, you can even see Biosphere "lungs" (more like a diaphragm) work, essentially keeping all that glass from collapsing when the air pressure changes.  There's really nothing like it.  You'll look and wonder and ask questions.

I've been introduced as a person who asks why -- a LOT.  While that reflects a Millennial desire for purpose, it also reflects the glories of 3-2-1 Contact.  I'm not alone.

Things to Know

• This trip is poppy approved!  If you self-identify as a science nerd (in the positive way) and/or like to make connections between disparate areas of study, this place is for you, the intellectually curious!  You do not need to know a lot about anything specific to engage in the tour, but you should think things like seeing one of two lunar greenhouses in existence (the other is in Antarctica) is cool.

• The drive to Biosphere 2 is an easy 45 minutes from Tucson, about an hour more from Phoenix, and through "populated desert" (you'll pass a Walmart and similar).  You will venture off the main road on a dedicated road to reach the site itself.  The road is paved and all, but it beckons a little adventure.
• You enter through the gift shop.  I was glad I bought my souvenir patch upon arrival -- the shop was closed when I returned.
• Be prepared to walk and to spend time in varied temperatures/levels of humidity.  You will walk "down" to the Biosphere 2 site and get great views of it -- and the desert -- along the way.
• I visited in September late in their operational day.  Crowds were scant, and we had extra time with our tour guide accordingly.  If you can visit when it is not likely to be crowded, do.  You'll have more time to linger.  Our guide advised winter holidays could be quite crowded.
• TripAdvisor may tell you this is a "science museum," but it is really an active science site.  There are some exhibits, but not the kind that involve children punching buttons.  There are some specialized tours and some additional educational programming options, including overnights.  Similarly, you can contact the staff and plan a retreat or similar here.
• There's a cafe, and this would be a nice picnic spot if you are up for adventure picnic -- or asking the staff if you can sit at one of the picnic tables outside.  They are a little out-of-the-way, and I'm not sure they are intended for tourists.
• Look for possible deals on Groupon.  There are some discounts for students and the like -- but nothing like AAA.  Allot about $20 a person in admission.  I spent about 3 hours hanging around looking at exhibits and taking the typical tour.
• Yes, mobile service is a bit spotty -- plan for it.

For Further Exploration

• Wondering why the history of Biosphere 2 is important and what it says about our humanity?  Start at Lessons from Biosphere 2.  Think about the ambition of the early 90s in particular.
• Planning an Arizona road trip?  That's a great idea!  You can land a Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport from many destinations and drive around pretty easily.  For suggestions, see also Dave and Deb's Ultimate 10-Day Arizona Road Trip.  And of course, check out The Halterman Weekend's adventures in Arizona, including Phoenix, Sedona, and Montezuma Well and Castle.