You’re never too old for the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art.
“I tell everyone who’s been here before, when their kids were little, to bring them back when they’re older because there’s always something new to see,” said Rebecca Miller Goggins, director of Development. “Our ever-changing art galleries are sophisticated, beautiful, and inspirational for everyone. Our mission is to elevate the art of the picture book.”
The museum features a hallway dedicated to the life of Carle and the iconic children’s books he created (most notably The Very Hungry Caterpillar), but there are three other galleries of works by other artists that change twice yearly, a daily film in the auditorium, regular story times in the reading library, and hands-on activities in the art studio that change every six weeks or so.
“We may coordinate with something going on in the galleries; like, if there’s a watercolor artist, we’ll do watercolors in the art studio,” Goggins explained. “It’s an incredible creative space, and it’s a great place for families with young kids who don’t want to make a mess in their own house — they can come to the Carle and make a mess in our studio. And adults really enjoy making art in the studio as well.”
The museum’s expansive, award-winning bookshop typically carries every book in print by any author featured in a current exhibition, and authors and artists often come in for readings, lectures, and book signings.
Current exhibitions include Jerry Pinkney’s The Lion & the Mouse, featuring the cover art and more than 32 pieces from that book; a 50-year commemoration of Free to Be You and Me; “Created in Color: The Picture Book Art of Raúl Colón”; and an exhibit of work by Margaret Wise Brown, author of Goodnight Moon, and artists she has inspired.
There are also plenty of activities pitched at adults, from lectures and gallery tours to art-making programs, Goggins said, and plenty of reasons to come back, between the rotating exhibits and more than 10,000 pieces in the permanent collection.
And people do come back; the museum attracts more than 40,000 visitors annually and has welcomed more than 1 million since its opening in 2002.
“It’s a remarkable place,” she added. “Picture book art is not just for children; it’s for everyone. It’s ageless and evergreen. So come visit again, and be newly inspired.”
The museum is open Wednesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Learn more at www.carlemuseum.org.
—Joseph Bednar
