The Rosenbach Museum, one of Philadelphia's most underutilized gems, is displaying a can't-miss exhibit called There's a Mystery There: Sendak on Sendak on famed children's author and artist Maurice Sendak. Most famous for Where the Wild Things Are, Sendak changed the nature of children's books forever by riding the new wave of child psychology that recognized the complex and sometimes scary emotions children experience.Exhibit aside, the Rosenbach is a museum worthy of a visit in its own right. The literary collection contains original manuscripts of Pickwick Papers, Ulysses, and Lord Jim, as well as Herman Melville's bookcase complete with its small library (particularly interesting to one Culture Vulture who just spent an entire semester researching Melville). The Rosenbach always gets hype around Bloomsday, when it hosts a full-day tribute to Joyce's Ulysses, but this event tends to overshadow the worthy, ongoing work of the museum. I would resommend a visit to anyone with an interest in literature, not just scholars. The museum sets an accessible tone, and its unassuming location on Delancey Street and personal, inviting staff make each visitor feel like a VIP getting the back-door experience.
The current Sendak exhibit strikes a perfect balance between appealing to adults and children. Sendak donated over 10,000 drawings and manuscripts to the museum, so the museum had a lot to work with. The Rosenbach took full advantage of his delightful illustrations and memorable quotes by colorfully adorning the rooms with them. This exhibit will be changing over the next several months (inviting repeat visitors), but the current display focuses on Sendak's background, influences, and beliefs about child psychology.
It was very refreshing to see children's literature getting the seldom-delivered respect it deserves. In books like In the Night Kitchen, and Outside Over There Sendak did not simple come up with a "nice story," but created a catharsis for the confusing emotions children deal with. He incorporated in his books influential events from the collective culture, such as the Holocaust and the kidnapping of the Lindbergh baby. Sendak recognized that adults weren't the only ones affected by these events, and that children also had to come to terms with them. The exhibit was engrossing, and more than one fellow attendant felt compelled to comment on how Sendak's books had affected their lives, both as children and as they re-read the books to their own children. For anyone who has had the pleasure of reading one of Sendak's books (and few among us have not), this exhibit is more than worthwhile. General admission to the Rosenbach is $10, and it's $5 for students. For museum hours and a full list of events connected with the exhibit visit www.rosenbach.org.
