Shanna's Adventures: travel

Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts

Monday, December 23, 2019

Milwaukee Public Museum

Trolley Car entrance to the Streets of Old Milwaukee @Milwaukee Public Museum

On a recent visit to Milwaukee, WI our local science center memberships allowed us free entry into the Milwaukee Public Museum. We had a half day before our return flight home and this made for a fun way to spend a couple of hours.

One of the most unique areas in this museum was Streets of Old Milwaukee complete with a little candy shop for buying reasonably priced treats both modern and reminiscent of days gone by. Another unique area was the European Village where each cottage reveals a display representing a country in Europe. It seems that every European country was represented.

Additionally, this Milwaukee Public Museum has a large natural history component with a diversity of taxidermy in various displays, a creative geologic display area and prehistoric dioramas.

If you travel and enjoy museums, I highly recommend a membership to your local science center assuming it is a member of the Association of Science and Technology Centers. The membership cost quickly pays for itself.

Old bicycle photo prop @Milwaukee Public Museum

Interior of an old Milwaukee store @Milwaukee Public Museum.

Streets of Old Milwaukee @Milwaukiee Public Museum

European Village @Milwaukee Public Museum

Dinosaur display @Milwaukee Public Museum

Geologic Area @Milwaukee Public Museum

Taxidermy avian display @ Milwaukee Public Museum

Other Museums in the ASTC Passport Program:

Museum of Natural Curiosity - Salt Lake City, UT
Museum of Ancient Life at Thanksgiving Point - Salt Lake City, UT
Fern Bank Natural History Museum - Atlanta, GA
Florida Museum of Natural History - Gainesville, FL

Friday, August 02, 2019

Art Appreciation: Frida and Friends at the Frist

A self-portrait by Frida Kahlo (@Frist Museum Aug 2019)

While on an impromptu stay in Nashville, we visited the Frist Art Museum where an art exhibition representing Mexican Modernism was on display. The works of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera were prominent pieces of this exhibition and through the interpretive displays we learned much about their lives and the context of their work.

Clothes representing the dress and style of Frida Kahlo (@Frist Art Museum Aug 2019)

A mural by Diego Rivera (@Frist Art Museum Aug 2019)

Another exhibit "Monsters & Myths: Surrealism and War in the 1930s and 1940s," included some rather morbid themes. There were a couple of iconic pieces by Salvador Dali- "Apparition of Face and Fruit Dish on a Beach" being one of the most recognizable.

Apparition of Face and Fruit Dish on a Beach by Dali (@Frist Art Museum Aug 2019)

When asked to point out her favorite work in this exhibit, my aspiring 11-year old artist to selected a piece by Wolfgang Paalen shown below.

"Paysage totémique de mon enfance" by Wolfgang Paalen (In English: Totemic landscape of my childhood) (@Frist Art Museum Aug 2019)

We have had other opportunities to learn about works of art over the years mostly from a historical context. My almost 13 year old son indicated that he is not a fan of surreal and modern art styles and prefers more realistic works like those we have learned about in our European history. My daughter, on the other hand, said that she likes different things about all art genres - spoken like a true artist I suppose.

Related Links:

Art Inspired by Maud Lewis (shannafern.com)
Van Gogh Inspired Art (shannafern.com)

Saturday, June 09, 2018

Grand Teton National Park in Pictures

The Grand Tetons

T. A. Moulton Barn said to be the most photographed barn

Mountain Reflection, Jenny Lake, Grand Teton National Park

Lake Jackson, Grand Teton National Park

Log Cabin on Mormon Row, near Grand Teton National Park

Mount Moran and Leigh Lake, Grand Teton National Park

Grand Tetons from roadway overlook

Wednesday, August 16, 2017

Re-creating a Linville Falls Photo Op

August 2017

August 2010

Tuesday, July 18, 2017

Pawn Stars

On our recent trip to Nevada, we spent less than 24 hours in Las Vegas. Nevertheless, we squeezed in everything we ever wanted to do while there into those few hours including a visit to the pawn shop featured in the show Pawn Stars. We did not stay long and we didn't buy, sell or pawn anything. The stars of the show were not there - I daresay they leave town during the hot summer months. However, it was interesting to see some of the stuff in the shop - everything from Star Wars toys and memorabilia to confederate money and Picasso prints.

Friday, July 07, 2017

Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument

Sunset Crater Volcano

After spending most of the day at the Grand Canyon, we drove south and saw signs for Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument. Having only lived on the east coast of North America, anything having to do with a volcano seems foreign and intriguing. We were passing right by it. I could not resist so we made u-turn and I'm so glad we did. We stayed long enough to walk through the 900 year old Bonito Lava Flow and sit and ponder the rust-rimmed cone before continuing on toward Meteor Crater.

A walk through lava rock with Sunset Crater in the background

Black ash is everywhere

Lava flow rock formations

Monday, July 03, 2017

Meteor Crater

Meteor Crater or Barringer Crater

Meteor Crater is about a mile in diameter and was formed around 50,000 years ago when a meteor weighing several thousand tons struck the earth. This place is a striking and unforgettable sight. It was featured in the 1984 movie Starman and was used by NASA astronauts to train for the Apollo missions to the moon.

There are viewpoints along one edge of the rim. Meteor Crater is on privately owned property and admission is required. An optional 30 minute tour is included with admission. In the visitor center, there are several interpretive displays that discuss the history of the site as well as a video devoted to how the impact crater was created. A gift shop and Subway restaurant is available.

The visitor center houses the largest meteorite found in the surrounding area and is believed to have been part of the meteor that made the impact crater. One would not think it by just looking at it but this meteorite weighs over 1,406 lbs.

Naturally occurring processes are degrading the impact site but after 50,000 years it is still very impressive and will remain so for centuries to come. We first visited this site nearly 10 years ago with a one year old Jonah. He should remember this most recent visit.

2017

2007

Friday, June 30, 2017

The Grand Canyon Overwhelms the Senses

The Grand Canyon in June 2017

On our first visit to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon 10 years ago, we experienced a vivid landscape near sunset. It was also autumn with cooler temperatures and perhaps a bit clearer air.

This was Elisabeth's first trip to the Grand Canyon. Jonah was barely a year old when Kelly and I first visited. I was freshly impacted by the views but it did seem that it was perhaps a little less striking than in our memory. The difference in the time of day, time of year, and the fact that a prescribed forest fire was taking place meant more haze and less than ideal lighting for clearly distinguishing the rich beauty and magnitude of this grandest of canyons. That being said, it is extremely difficult to comprehend the dimensions and vastness of this space under any circumstance.

While that last visit may have been a more ideal time of day and year, every visit is unique and overwhelms the senses. I am all for making multiple trips of varying lengths to see this iconic landmark it all it's wondrous glory. God willing, the next time perhaps we will hike down into its depths to help actualize the true size and shape of it all.