Museum-Quest

As a University employee, my calendar is tied to July 1. That’s when a new year starts, and for my purposes here I’ll say: that’s my deadline for spending one year’s vacation days (as faculty I can carry nothing over) and the new year’s worth of vacation time begins.

In pre-Pandemic life, I traveled often and had no issue spending this time. But the last two Junes … I’ve had to use time or lose it and I hate losing!

Nothing wrong with taking a vacay day to stay home and sunbathe. But this June, my vacation day spending spree has been more of a Museum-Quest.

One edifying pit stop on our way to Salem, MA was New Haven, CT.

This sounds like a promise and PLEASE tell me there is a vampire novel set in New Haven:

The attraction that brought us there was the Beinicke library, a free, open-to-the-public rare book library.

BOOKS!!

Uh, also the first mass-produced book as we understand it. Y’all, we saw a Gutenberg Bible, one of only 5 in North America. I never knew these printed books were also illustrated by hand!

Audubon guide. BIRB BOOK:

Took a mid-week vacation day this week, truly a treat, and rode the train into New York City. Bryant Park was in full bloom, it was a joy to be outside, in the shade, people-watching.

Then, one gallery and one museum I’d never been to.

Dia Chelsea:

And The Whitney. I was very taken with the work of Theresa Hak Kyung Cha:

This work by Andrew Roberts grabbed us for a long time:

My theme for this late spring/early summer season has been walking and talking with a dear friend, being enrapt in catching up for hours, and then needing to soak my legs in epsom salt after the day ends because WHOA.