This is the first in a series of posts looking back at my 2022, with five more to come as I count down to 2023.
For some reason, this was the year I saw a *lot* of museums. From skeletons to banjos to quilts and glass, there are a lot of fascinating museums in the US. Picking the top 6 that I visited in 2022 is a bit challenging because I actually liked all of the museums I found this year. Some were small and clearly labors of love while others were very well-funded and had amazing architectural elemens housing their collections. Let’s see what made the list…
Crystal Bridges Art Museum, Bentonville, AR
Thanks to the generosity of the Walmart heirs, this museum is not only well-funded and architecturally brilliant, it’s also free for everything except special exhibits. Despite visiting on a damp day and with the Frank Lloyd Wriight house closed for the afternoon, it was still worth the effort. Amazing collections, a wide range of old, new, avant-garde, paintings, sculptures, and, well, a bit of everything. If you can’t find a few new favorites here, you’re really not trying very hard!
Original post: Crystal Bridges Art Museum
Eastern Arizona Museum, Pima, AZ
This one makes the list because it’s the only museum where people I was with (cousins and family) actually *knew* — in some cases were related to — the the people whose photos lined the walls. It’s a tiny museum, but it’s where my dad’s family is from, so the artifacts spoke to me of the stories I heard passed down through the family, from my grandmother and my dad, and now my cousins. It felt a bit like a family museum, rooted so deep in the land and people of eastern Arizona where “my people” have lived for so long. I grew up in LA, but there’s a part of my heart that recognizes this place as home and the museum as part of my history.
Original post: Eastern Arizona Museum
National Quilt Museum, Paducah, KY
Even if you’ve never sewn a stitch in your life, I think you’d enjoy this place. The subjects covered by the quilters range form stars (below) to penguins and Shakespeare plays, and the colors and creativity are simply breathtaking. What people can do with their fingers and fabric is amazing, and it might inspire you to create something of your own, whether it’s a quilt or a painting or a blog post.
Original posts: National Quilt Museum(Part 1), Part 2 and Part 3
American Banjo Museum, OK City, OK
Yeah, I know all the jokes about banjos and the bottom of the ocean (you can google it…). But honestly, this place showcased the most beautiful instruments I’ve ever seen, bar none. Walking through the two floors of exhibits was one constant “wow, wow, wow” as I spied yet another stunning display. It’s clear the curators/owners love banjos and I loved seeing them all, every single one.
Original post: American Banjo Museum
First Americans Museum, OK City, OK
Not like any history museum you’ve probably ever visited, this is the story of the 40+ tribes that ended up in Oklahoma after forced relocations from other areas on the continent, including the infamous Trail of Tears. Take your time going through this place, read each display and think about what you learned in school and how different the perspective is from the First Americans point of view. I came away with a deep appreciation of the culture, the history, and the dignity of these people, and grateful they have built a place to tell their own story to the rest of us, who need to hear it.
Original Post: First Americans Museum
Bob Dylan Center, Tulsa, OK
Oh, man, I grew up on Dylan so this place was like a wayback machine, starting with my teenage years. The first LP I every bought was Nashville Skyline. So I loved everything about this place, especially the state-of-the-art headphone system that let each person rock out separately to Bob’s music or the voices explaining each exhibit. Being in a Bob Dylan bubble for a few hours renewed my love of his body of work and I found myself streaming his catalog as I drove home.
Original post: Bob Dylan Center
Museums should be places where you raise questions, not just show stuff.
William Thorsell
I’ll put in on my list, Allan. Although, for whatever reason, I’ve never gone through KC in my years of traveling!
I think my mom would have like that quilt museum.
If you get to Kansas City, check out the National Museum of Toys and Miniatures.