Springfield Museums

AMAZING WORLD OF DR. SEUSS MUSEUM

This museum Honors Theodor Seuss Geisel ( born and raised in Springfield, Massachusetts), an American children’s author, political cartoonist, poet, animator, screenwriter, filmmaker, and artist, best known for his work writing and illustrating more than 60 books under the pen name Dr. Seuss. 

As World War II began, Geisel turned to political cartoons, drawing over 400 in two years as editorial cartoonist for the left-leaning New York City daily newspaper. Geisel’s political cartoons, later published in Dr. Seuss Goes to War, denounced Hitler and Mussolini.

After the war, Geisel and his wife moved to La Jolla, California, where he returned to writing children’s books. He wrote many, including such favorites as If I Ran the Zoo(1950), Horton Hears a Who! (1955), If I Ran the Circus (1956), The Cat in the Hat (1957), How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1957), and Green Eggs and Ham (1960).

 

In 2002, the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden opened in his birthplace of Springfield, Massachusetts, featuring sculptures of Geisel and of many of his characters.

GEORGE WALTER VINCENT SMITH ART MUSEUM

The Museum was build in the Italianate style in 1895. Renwick, Aspinwall and Renwick were the architects. The orange brick two level building features a large loggia, an ornate frieze, and, on the north wall, the names of famous artists. The collection is divided into several exhibit halls.

One feature of the Smith Art Museum are  original Tiffany stained glass windows. Manufactured by the Tiffany Glass Company of New York City, the windows were installed in 1895 as the museum was being completed. The windows are rare examples of Tiffany work commissioned for a museum building; the only other known windows made especially for a museum were at the Henry Field Memorial Art Gallery at the Art Institute of Chicago and have not survived.

       

SPRINGFIELD SCIENCE MUSEUM 

Founded in 1859 in City Hall, officially opened in 1899 in a classical revival building, expanded in 1932 with an Art Deco addition, and expanded again in 1970 with the Tolman addition that included a public observatory.

The Science Museum’s Seymour Planetarium consists of the historic Korkosz Starball, now the oldest operating star-projector in the United States.

 

 

 

 

 

 

LYMAN AND MERRIE WOOD MUSEUM OF SPRINGFIELD HISTORY

The museum opens after a six year process which included consolidation of history collections, planning future directions, and construction of a 42,000 square foot building.

The Indian Motocycle Collection is the largest collection of Indian cycles and memorabilia in the world.

The Firearms Collection includes more than 1,600 firearms, with the largest collection of Smith & Wesson guns in the world.

 

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