A little taste of history, one morsel at a time.
Happy Friday! Today on Museum Bites we’re slipping and sliding into winter with a look at the history of ice skates. From ancient waterways to the Olympic Games, ice skates have played a fundamental role in our transportation, recreation, and sports. Join me for a brief twirl around the rink and learn how the ice skate was transformed from a humble pair of bones to hi-tech blades. We begin by dialing the clock back to the Bronze Age…
Happy Friday! Today on Museum Bites we’re touring the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto. I stumbled across a lovely leg inside the Gallery of Greece, and it immediately brought to mind the fragile (fra-gee-lee!) leg lamp of A Christmas Story (1983) fame.
All aboard! Today on Museum Bites we’re back on the rails and winding up our tour through the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay, Wisconsin. In our second and final installment, we’ll climb mountains, commute in style, travel undercover, and discover how trains can foster gratitude. We begin in the Rocky Mountains…
Today on Museum Bites we’re hitting the rails with a whirlwind tour through the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay, Wisconsin. In this first of a two-part series, we’ll chug across the country plowing the rails, breaking speed records, and whipping up a batch of chowder. We begin on a bruising bus train…
Grab a blanket because today on Museum Bites we’re cozying up for some pillow talk. Whether you prefer fluffy or firm, pillows not only help us get a good night sleep, they cushion our tushes, stack up into handy forts, and add a soft but significant wallop in a friendly fight. The headrest, on the other hand, is the pillow’s stern ancestor. Handcrafted from wood, stone and a variety of other neck-crunching materials, the headrest looks more like a torture device than a means of inducing slumber. But headrest enthusiasts have touted both its practical and mystical virtues. Join me for a brief look at the art and history of these ancient sleep aids. We begin by dialing back the clock to ancient Egypt…
Happy Friday! Today on Museum Bites, we’re rounding out our ramble through the Flint Institute of Arts (FIA) with the second half of our tour through their dazzling collection of sculptured glass. From dewy raindrops to dancing rams, join me for a look at how this fragile material has been melted, molded and cut into brilliant works of art. Our first piece was created using an age-old technique…
Today on Museum Bites we’re continuing our tour through the Flint Institute of Arts (FIA) with a stroll through their stunning collection of sculptured glass. In this first of a two-part series, we’ll travel from the Italian kitchen to the African desert, feasting our eyes on breathtaking designs and discovering some of the secrets to this delicate art. Our first piece represents a tasty Italian treat…
Today on Museum Bites we’re visiting the Flint Institute of Arts (FIA) and their brilliant collection of glass paperweights. Unlike their snow globe cousins, these shimmery tchotchkes contain mini-worlds that have been forged in fire and frozen in glass. Butterflies, bouquets, and bees are commonly featured in these radiant orbs, but paperweights have an edgy side too. Coiled snakes, dancing devils, and even lattes have inspired their design. Join me for a brief look into these weighty wonders.
Today on Museum Bites we’re taking a tour through the Milwaukee Art Museum’s dazzling collection of art deco. Sleek and shiny art deco influenced fashion, entertainment, architecture, and even manufacturing during the 1920s and 1930s. At the dawn of the machine age, art deco transformed our everyday gizmos and gadgets into functional art. Join me for a brief look at some of these delightful designs.
