You might not think an artist who focused a lot of his work on showgirls and courtesans would be the most kid-friendly, but the Toulouse-Lautrec exhibit going on at the Chrysler Museum now is one of the most enjoyable we've been to for a long time. Toulouse-Lautrec's world wasn't only dance halls, it was also a wonderful place where bears walked through the city on leashes, women dressed like wedding cakes with their skirts billowing around them and everything was just a little brighter and richer than it seems now.

Anouk really enjoys the kids books set in Belle Epoque Paris (Madeline series, Diva and Flea, the Family Under the Bridge) so a lot of these sights and scenes were familiar to her. But there were some unfamiliar things, too, including a wonderful exhibit of Japanese woodcut prints that were both beautiful on their own and interesting in the way they influenced Lautrec's work. A stop by the little art station let the kids put everything together in making art of their own. Another highlight was the repetitive whirling video of a can-can dancer twirling and whirling in a fascinating loop.

Right now the Lautrec exhibit is going on just next door to the amazing Infinite Possibility exhibit (more on that later!), so a visit to the Chrysler is definitely encouraged. The Paris of Toulouse-Lautrec is on exhibit until June 17, 2017.

Halloween at the Chrysler Museum is one of my favorite things about the holiday. Each year, the staff dress up as works of art and wander the museum so visitors can find them. The costumes are always so creative and this year was no different, with staff dressing as works of contemporary and classical painting, sculpture, even glasswork! Each staff member gets to pick their art piece, and talking to them about how they came up with the concept of their costume is definitely part of the fun (this year's fave: the woman who covered herself in straw and roamed around as one of Monet's haystacks from the Agrarian Ideal exhibit going on now.)

The kids definitely enjoyed the special Halloween hunt, and marking off their finds on the scavenger hunt map (prize: candy) But they also enjoyed just spending time at the expanded play area at the back of the museum, and shuffling through the books, games, and toys there. Note to self: keep this in mind for blustery days this winter.

The Chrysler has some exciting programs for kids and families coming up this month, including Tickle My Ears, on Friday, November 3, and a wild-West themed Free Family Day on Saturday, November 12. More info here.

Part II of our Chrysler Museum visit was my favorite: seeing the paintings by Henri Matisse on display as part of a loan program with the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. Matisse might be one of my favorite artists, if not THE favorite, so this was a big deal for me, and I was excited to introduce Anne to his work. In preparation for the visit, I checked two picture books on Matisse out of the library: The Iridescence of Birds, which covers Matisse's childhood inspiration and the way it influenced his use of color, and Henri's Scissors, about his famous cutouts. Warning, that last one might make you cry if you are even remotely hormonal.



Our own Fauves were a little worn out by the time we reached the Matisses, thanks to the awesome video game exhibit we visited first, but they listened patiently as we read to them and looked at the paintings (Anne particularly loved the one with the sailboats and pink water). There are so many great ideas for Matisse-inspired kid art projects, I kind of can't wait to start on that.

The Matisse exhibit will be at the Chrysler through the end of June.

More spring break adventures! Can you tell that Molly and Co. are our partners in crime this week? This chilly gray afternoon took us to the Chrysler Museum to see two current exhibits -- I'm splitting our visit into two posts because both were so great they deserve their own.

The first exhibit we saw was the much-anticipated Art of Video Games (at the Chrysler through May 10) -- basically, a complete history of video games from the very beginning to the current day. Around the room were stations where you could see each gaming system and listen to a bit about it, and in between were little stands where you could try out some of the games (Super Mario Brothers, still got it). This was maybe the most fun part of the whole thing, except for the vintage arcade games at the end (seeing A. play "Pac-Girl" as she calls it was maybe the highlight of the year so far for me).

Nobody else in our group seemed to really love it but for me another highlight was the screen set up to show peoples' faces as they played different video games -- I found it fascinating and could have sat and watched it for hours. Why do so many people look so grim when they're playing? It was very intense.

I'm an advocate of less-screen-time-is-more (in theory at least) but this exhibit really made me want to break out some of our old gaming systems to introduce to Anne. Dad, do you still have that Atari???
Matisse next week, happy weekend!

 ^^ Molly should go on the road as a professional Pac-Man player. That's a career, right? ^^

EVERYONE has been telling me that I have to go see Bruce Munro's Light installation at the Hermitage Museum and Gardens, and finally, the day after Thanksgiving, we listened and went.

Light is magical -- there's no other word for it. A field of floating colored globes takes up a huge field in front of the Arts and Crafts mansion, spreading out like wildflowers, the lights changing hues slowly from green to orange to purple. A ring of neon towers shine from between the trees like standing stones from another world. Inside the Hermitage, delicate teardrops hang from the intricate ceilings, casting swaying shadows on the paneled wood. Reading about artist Munro's vision for each piece, and how he and his team brought it about, was a treat, a full look inside a concept from beginning to end.

Anouk and her friend T. loved it. Even though they were bundled up in their strollers against the cold with coats and hats and blankets, they took in everything. We all especially enjoyed getting to roam the Hermitage at night -- to see it lit up so dimly was kind of spookily awesome.  The exhibition was tailored specifically for the Hermitage to highlight its spaces and gardens, and the moving, living lights made us notice details that we hadn't really seen before. (We adults were also big fans of the bar set up on the edge of the property -- festive hot toddys FTW!)

Admission was steep -- $15 per adult and $12 per child under 6, but worth it. The Hermitage is a special place at any time of year, but with the ethereal lights everywhere, it was even more so. We highly recommend a visit before Jan. 10 -- the day when Light leaves! It's the perfect way to celebrate a season marked by darkness and experience a new way of seeing an old familiar favorite place.

There's a little over a month left to see the Worn to Be Wild exhibit at the Chrysler Museum (click here for an online preview). And it really is a great one, so this is good news if you haven't seen it already. The collection showcases the history of the leather jacket, and its journey from practical aviator and motorcyclist garb to punk rock staple and fashion must-have. Leather jackets everywhere, all kinds and colors and shapes -- painted, studded, pierced, furred, rhinestoned -- even a crystal clear one. It was amazing, how one particular garment can be interpreted in so many ways.

The exhibit isn't specifically for kids but was a good one for our two little toddlers -- there was a lot to see and a big open space in which to run around and see it. We all took our time choosing our favorites, even the little ones (Anouk didn't like the studded jackets -- she thought they looked mean -- but was a big fan of a like $10,000 one worn by Fergie. That's my girl.) Plus, the interactive space at the end (you can sit on a Harley! And try on leather jackets!) was super fun (for all of us).












The Chrysler is really bringing it lately with awesome shows! While you're checking out Worn to Be Wild, don't forget to head upstairs and look at the Smokey the Bear exhibit and the Fractured Lens exhibit, featuring Picasso and Braque, on loan from the National Gallery in DC.