Visit to the John Michael Kohler Art Center

In our most recent trip to Wisconsin, I was pleased to have the chance to visit the John Michael Kohler Art Center.  Yep, the same Kohler that makes your toilet and tub.  What an amazing display and experience.   I can see a lesson being inspired by this fun visit. 

The first thing we were invited to do was go to the bathrooms.  All of the bathrooms were a work of art.  We were even encouraged to go into the opposite sex bathrooms.  What a treat!  I loved this pink bathroom.  It was so very whimsical and feminine.  

More bathrooms.  I found out by looking on their website that I missed a couple of bathrooms too.  They have a very sweet one in there preschool area.  That's right, I just said preschool.  My top would pop to have the opportunity to send my kids to an art museum everyday for preschool.  

Sawyer had many favorites but here are two of them.  These were little porcelain soap bottles.  He was amazed that Fairy's have soap too!  Below is a work from Justin Richel.  I could see it fitting in closely with a Oldenburg or totem pole lesson or even a balance or proportions theme.  

Matisse loved the opportunity to grab a drawing kit and draw in a little finger of this building.  They had a hallway that extended from the maine building with plants and sculptures and several drawing horses.  We spent about an hour in this room (until the place closed down) just enjoying the sun and drawing what ever we wanted.  I even joined in on the fun.

There were even little treats outside.  Here is a little fairy house made of stones and various natural items.  The exterior of the museum was the runes of an old library made into a garden.  It was such a beautiful place. 

The last bit of our visit I wanted to share with you is a community art room. There seems to be many art camps throughout the summer but there is also this community art room.  They had many projects going on that people who visit can stop in and participate.  I love this 'golden box'.  It made me think that the 'golden box' could be used for something in the classroom.  Maybe it is a special artwork or a featured book.  We'll see where or if this translates into my classroom.  The other great piece in this room was sculptures of hands.  They had several what appeared to be plaster/papier mâché hands placed on the wall.  I loved the look and would love to see it as a grade level or even a school wide sculpture.