The end of summer is nearing and I have spent a tremendous amount of time filling my children’s athletic and playtime endeavors, but at long last I have fed their cultural side as well thanks to Blue Star Museums, an Operation Appreciation initiative from Blue Star Families and the National Endowment for the Arts.
I gathered the kids up and took a scenic drive up Highway 101 until I arrived at Newport Beach’s Orange County Museum of Art. The museum is currently featuring the artist Jack Goldstein x 10,000. The museum offered us free entry, saving us $14 per person, and has an interactive audio experience where one can call a number next to each piece of art to learn more and gain perspective on the piece.
Jack Goldstein’s art provided a variety of mediums for audiences of all ages to enjoy. While I was not familiar with his work beforehand, I recognized his work in a variety of forms. The museum describes the exhibit Jack Goldstein x 10,000 as “the first American retrospective of the artist Jack Goldstein (1945-2003). Although Canadian-born, he spent most of his life in Southern California and New York and was a central figure in the so-called Pictures Generation of the 1970’s… and presents films, paintings, records, installations, texts, sculpture an immersive sound performance, and listening studios.” My three year old especially loved dancing with the rocking pixel man featured at the entrance of the exhibits.
Check out some of these other 1,800 Blue Star Museums, exhibits and science centers free to you until September 3rd. Visit Oceanside’s California Surf Museum, Virginia’s National Air and Space Museum, or Wonderscope Children’s Museum in Kansas City! There are plenty of interactive museums for young children.
Better yet, plan a girl’s outing or go on a date with your loved one and take advantage of an exhibit you may not have the opportunity to see again for some time. Plan a day out… enjoy a nice lunch, feed your inner artist and grab a delicious dessert. Sounds like a perfect afternoon to me. Need to find out which museums are participating near you? Check out the Blue Star Museum’s guide to discover more information.
