If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you know that my family likes museums of all varieties from art to natural history. One thing we especially like are museums where we can play a little. For this reason, the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in western Massachusetts is a favorite.

This museum does have wonderful galleries dedicated to favorite children’s book art that everyone will recognize. In fact, the image above is a detail from one of Carle’s huge canvases, which line the lobby. But what we really love is the huge art studio where visitors are invited to get their hands dirty and create. On a visit in November, the project du jour was making “found art” using recycled materials. Everyone, adult and child alike, was given a plastic bag full of things like straws and paper plates and various plastic and metal do-dads and told to have at it.

Our family made a slew of projects, including a little island with a palm tree, a face, and a bird:

But I think my favorite was Tommy’s little mouse, which still adorns my desk, a memento of a fun day spent together: