Today on Museum Bites we’re wrapping up our three-part series on bicycles with a tour through the Minneapolis Institute of Art’s (MIA) delightful display of bike art. The MIA teamed up with local bike aficionados, Handsome Cycles to craft three eye-catching bikes based on iconic works featured within their hallowed halls. Hop aboard for a fun ride through art and history. We begin in the French countryside…
Happy Friday! We’re picking up speed on Museum Bites as we continue our trip through bicycle history. Last week we hopped aboard heavy wooden prototypes and outrageous, big-wheeled contraptions. Today, we’ll test drive a variety of bikes and learn how the addition of spokes, chains, gears, whacky handlebars and my personal favorite, the banana seat helped morph the bicycle into the vehicle we know and love today. We begin in the 1880s…
Today on Museum Bites we’re taking a look at one of my favorite contraptions, the bicycle. In this first of a three-part series, we’ll pedal through the bicycle’s early days, when it was a brakeless, pedal-less, teeth-rattling ride. The bicycle has no single inventor, instead, this delightful vehicle came about through a series of clever and sometimes dangerous innovations. Despite eye rolls and outright jeering, these mavericks persevered. Without their hard work and tenacity, we wouldn’t know the bliss of cruising along a scenic path, the agony of pumping up a steep hill, and the thrill of zooming all the way back down. So hop aboard, adjust your helmet, and let’s pedal back to 19th century Germany…
Pull up a chair because today on Museum Bites we’re setting the table for a fancy feast. We’ll sample whimsical tableware that will dazzle and amuse. During our tour, we’ll melt over butter, pay homage to mustard, and get into a pickle. We begin by rolling back the clock to the late 18th century…
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas here at Museum Bites and today we’re celebrating some of the generous gift givers featured in Christmas lore. Santa Claus, Father Christmas, and Saint Nicholas get top billing. But did you know Father Ice, a mischievous farm elf, and a leather-wearing Santa have all played a role in fostering Christmas cheer? Join me for a brief introduction to these festive folks. We begin in the wilds of the American frontier…
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…
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…
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 getting inked. Whether it is for self-decoration, group identification, magical protection or a therapeutic prescription, tattoos have a long and colorful history. From the snowy Alps to the Polynesian Islands, we have painted our bodies with vibrant hues and dazzling designs. Join me for a brief look into this ancient art. We begin by dialing the clock back to the Copper Age…
Today on Museum Bites we’re sinking our teeth into cheese. Mmmm…cheese! We bake, cube, grate, melt, slather, whip, and dip this savory superfood. Just a spoonful of cheese jazzes up our pasta complements our wine and helps make the broccoli go down. From prehistoric Poland to America’s Dairyland join me for a brief look at cheese’s rich and tasty history. We begin in the desert…
