Call me a complete nerd, but I love museums. I really do. I think that it’s absolutely amazing how people, artists, historians, writers, journalists, and whomever else are able to give onlookers an insight into history or a certain field through images and artifacts. So, when a friend of mine who needed to visit an art museum for a design project invited me to come with her, I gladly went along. She had decided on the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento, which was only a short Amtrak ride away from Davis.
Housing several different exhibits from Victorian portraits to Native American ceramics, Crocker encompasses a multitude of different worlds that visitors step into at every turn. One minute you are gazing at the intricate Japanese glasswork in cups and vases, lit up by the natural light from their window displays, and the next you are wandering into a world of abstract paintings and gigantic 3D exhibits. You walk around, mouth agape and wonder how artists come up with their beautiful creations.
As an English major, I spend about 30% of my time reading books, another 30% analyzing books, and 40% writing essays. I don’t encounter the analysis of artwork too often, but when I do, I tend to draw a blank (pun intended) on how to even begin to interpret a piece. Something I appreciated about the museum’s layout of all its pieces, specifically the paintings, was the small panels detailing the story behind the work, the artist’s biography, and a small hint at what to look at, such as a deeper meaning behind a color scheme, or a tiny detail in the background, or even finding where the artist’s initials were written. It was nice to see that the layout was geared towards engaging the visitors with the art, rather than just being something on a wall or a stand.
My friend and I ended the day with walking into Old Town Sacramento, which seems to be a popular tourist location, as she and I were immediately sucked into costume shops, toy stores and candy shops (yes, we are most definitely children at heart!), and even an entire store filled with socks, as well as having plenty of delicious options for dinner and a great view of the river.
So if you’re looking to get away from the stress of school life for a day, I highly recommend a trip out to Sacramento to Crocker. You can check out current and upcoming exhibits and events here and get a peek at some of the amazing artwork they house!
*All images taken by the author herself.
Cover image source: City of Sacramento