Page 32 - ARUBA TODAY

A32 FEATURE
Tuesday 6 June 2017
Oh the Places You’ll Go! Dr. Seuss museum opens its doors

MARK PRATT and caricatures, she said.
Associated Press Dimond never heard a
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (AP) prejudiced word out of
— From the squiggly, pink Geisel, she said, and knows
handrails outside the en- he had some regrets about
trance to the front hall the wartime work.
decorated with scenes “If there is criticism of Ted,
from “And to Think That I it has its place,” she said.
Saw it on Mulberry Street” “I would never try to, and
— a real street just blocks he would not want any of
away — the new Amazing us to try to hide away any-
World of Dr. Seuss museum thing he did. I know that he
says, “You’re off to Great changed with the times.”
Places!” Richard Minear, a professor
Walking into the museum emeritus of Japanese histo-
that opened to the public ry at the University of Mas-
Saturday in the author and sachusetts, who wrote “Dr.
illustrator’s hometown of Seuss Goes to War” about
Springfield, Massachusetts, his political illustrations, says
is like walking into one of his Geisel certainly had a blind
beloved children’s books. spot on race, but it’s not fair
The museum dedicated to to judge his entire career
Theodor Geisel — who un- on that work.
der the pen name Dr. Seuss “He matured and he de-
wrote and illustrated doz- veloped a whole lot from
ens of rhyming children’s In this May 4, 2017, photo people walk near an entrance to The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Mu- those early years,” Minear
books including “The Cat in seum, in Springfield, Mass. said, noting that “Horton
the Hat” and “Green Eggs Associated Press Hears a Who!” was an alle-
and Ham” — features in- Examples of Geisel’s early protects Geisel’s legacy. It said Katie Ishizuka, who has gory about post-war Japan
teractive exhibits, artwork advertising work and World features games and climb- written on Geisel’s work. and the nation’s relation-
never before displayed War II-era propaganda able statues of Horton, the “They don’t acknowledge ship with the U.S.
publicly and explains how and political illustrations stack of turtles from “Yertle the full picture of him or The museum is expected to
his childhood experiences that critics consider racist the Turtle and Other Sto- they try to minimize that or draw about 100,000 visitors
in the city about 90 miles are conspicuously absent, ries” and Thing 1 and Thing sweep it under the rug,” annually and along with a
(145 kilometers) west of but that’s because the mu- 2 from “The Cat in the Hat.” said Ishizuka, director of $1 billion casino scheduled
Boston shaped his work. seum is aimed primarily at “This museum is about visi- The Conscious Kid Library, to open in 2018, is part of
“He would absolutely be at children, said Kay Simpson, tors encountering the crea- which lends what she says the Springfield’s economic
ease here,” said Leagrey president of the Springfield tures that sprang out from renaissance, Mayor Do-
Ted Geisel’s imagination
— Horton, the Cat in the
Hat, the Lorax, Sam I Am —
that got kids excited about
reading, which was really
his preoccupation later on
in his career,” Simpson said.
Visitors are taken through
Geisel’s boyhood bed-
room, his grandparents’
bakery and brewery and
different rooms painted in
brilliant blues and radiant
reds, and decorated in al-
most fanatical detail with
In this May 4, 2017, photo a mural that features Theodor Seuss scenes from the books.
Geisel, left, also know by his pen name Dr. Seuss, rests on a wall The museum’s second floor
near an entrance at The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum, in has a more intimate feeling In this May 4, 2017, photo John Simpson, left, project director of
Springfield, Mass. exhibitions for The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum, and his
Associated Press with the actual furnishings wife Kay Simpson, right, president of Springfield Museums, un-
and assorted knick-knacks wrap a statue of the “Cat in the Hat,” at the museum, in Spring-
from Geisel’s studio from field, Mass.
Dimond, one of Geisel’s Museums complex. the La Jolla, California, Associated Press
stepdaughters (He didn’t The organization has in home where he lived until
have any biological chil- the past hosted exhibits of his death in 1991 at age 87. are more diverse and ap- menic Sarno said. Geisel
dren). “And to know that Geisel’s wartime work, she Even his collection of 117 propriate books for young belongs in his hometown,
he’s going to be here per- said. bowties is on display. readers. the mayor said.
manently, safe, protected, Kids are definitely the focus But by not referencing Even in his children’s books, “Any other city in the coun-
that people who want to of the first floor of the muse- Geisel’s wartime work, characters of color are try would be salivating
know more are going to um, created in conjunction which often stereotyped subservient or secondary to have a museum for a
make this trip here to see with Dr. Seuss Enterprises, the Japanese, the museum to the white characters, or world-renowned author like
him, it’s perfect.” the family company that is telling only half the story, depicted as stereotypes Dr. Seuss,” he said.q