Terracotta Warriors: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

We'd been trying to get to Richmond to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts to check out the Terracotta Army: The Legacy of the First Emperor of China.  We'd tried to get there previously, but a poor weather report foiled us.  We're fortunate to have made it on closing weekend, and walking through the exhibit, one of my friends and blog readers spotted us, exclaiming she knew we'd be there. You betcha.

The kids were thrilled to get little exhibit books, and like the good museum attendees they are becoming, they rebuffed somewhat at less-than-courteous visitors (there were a few, although nothing overwhelming).  The toughest crowds were in the entry area near small cases.  The warrior statues themselves were near the end of the exhibit, and because some of the less-seasoned museum goers had a bit of apparent museum fatigue, there were not crowds around the statues.  We're always pleased to see such special exhibits get good attention, especially from audience members that don't consider themselves regular museum-goers; it just makes for a lot of traffic.  This type of collection draws in crowds and helps so many people experience a new slice of the human experience, so it's worth it.  If you don't consider yourself a regular at places like art museums, this type of attraction may be just the ticket to understanding what all the fuss is about.

Our favorites?  Extremely well-preserved pottery, dating back over 2000 years; a chariot pulled by a horse team; the warriors themselves, all in fantastic poses.  Information on the ancient Chinese architecture was also fascinating and especially well-presented.  A children's exploration area elsewhere in the museum had small blank books as freebies, and the kids were very amused by these with E drawing a great collection of terracotta statues.

If you go now to this exhibit, you are actually headed to the Cincinnati Art Museum--they co-organized the exhibit with the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, and it will be there from April 20 through much of the summer.  If you just want to take in the VMFA, that's a great day trip, too.  Go in nice weather, and you can enjoy the attractive grounds--there's plenty of places to spread out a little picnic, including some small outdoor tables near the parking garage.  Parking is available onsite for $5/day (free for members); general entrance is free of charge although special exhibits are ticketed.  Reserve your tickets in advance, especially for blockbuster exhibits like this one. On the day of our visit, every spot was sold out--and at an exhibit entrance rate of 300 people per hour.  Considering a membership?  Be sure to check out the student membership--it's a great deal at $10, and students are eligible at age 13 (a great savings if you visit more than once a year).  While you are in the area, know you are right beside the Virginia Historical Society, also with free general admission.

Castle for Kim: Montezuma Castle (and Well)

Since fourth or fifth grade social studies, I (K) had always wanted to see some cliff dwellings.  When I realized I'd find myself in Phoenix, Arizona, in July 2016, I was inspired to go find some.  So, after my plane landed mid-day on a Sunday, I found Montezuma Castle, a, 800-year-old well preserved set of dwellings in a naturally-occurring opening on a cliff face.

A small National Park Service site, Montezuma Castle is easily accessible and a wonderful glimpse into the ancient past in the desert.  The castle is not one family's dwelling--it's housing for more like 30-50 people. Misnamed as an Aztec site at one point (hence the Montezuma), this Sinagua native site helps the visitor understand desert survival. There's a short sidewalk-style trail that is relatively flat that will give you a view of the castle and some pretty desert landscape.  No, you can't enter the castle--it's too challenging to preserve--but the view from the ground is grand.  There's also a wonderful diorama to view to give you a sense of the "inside"--and I have been trained by hubby J to appreciate these delightful touches that help interpret such sites. And there's a gift shop (with an educator discount)!

Run up the road a few more miles and you'll find the less busy but quite splendid Montezuma Well, an interesting "lake" made by a spring that's home to unique species of leeches and other such nifty-ness.  Take a short "hike" (also on a sidewalk, but with some stairs with decent steepness) .25 mile up to the top of the lake (and looping back around to the parking lot).  Venture off the beaten path (but still on a marked trail) down to the lake edge if you wish--this was also pretty terrain. For diver shots from 2006, the last research dive into the well, click here.  There's no gift shop at the well, so be sure to pack water.  It's the desert--if it is summer, basically walk around sipping water.

If you go, the drive from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is north about 90 minutes and will afford you some excellent desert scenery.  You could easily visit the small town of Jerome or the Red Rocks of Sedona in the same little road trip--admission here also gets you in to Tuzigoot National Monument for the week, too, and it is easily accessible from the same drive.  For some thought-provoking reading on archaeology, historic preservation, and plunder, check out Craig Childs's Finders Keepers.  If you are interested in other things K was inspired to see thanks to elementary school social studies, check out our blog on Town Creek Indian Burial Mound in North Carolina.