Artsy Summer: Huntington Library

I'm trying to do this Artsy Summer as economically as possible, so have a keen eye to coordinating my schedule with free days. Luckily, I had hoarded guest passes to the Huntington Library over the years I had membership there and was able to bypass the $20 admission when I headed back last weekend.

It was a full day which involved exploring the gardens in the morning (where I learned better about the iPhone's HDR capability), bringing a blanket and packing a lunch (turkey BLT with avocado + fruit salad), then ducking inside for exhibits to escape the sun at its hottest.

[lily ponds]

Some of the permanent exhibitions are oldies but goodies: printing (illuminated manuscripts, hello!); Blue Boy, Pinkie, silverware by Paul Revere. I snapped a shot of a corner of a painting that was most charming:

[little knitting hands]

The newer stuff is exciting, too: astronomy, Darwin, the human body, electricity, etc.. With a ton of interactive displays, like a telescope, early microscope, and pop-up and flip-through images. The electricity section has, in addition to an impressive lot of light bulbs, a cool filament string light fixture at the center of the room:

[lights, looking up]

The visit gas made me consider restarting my membership. Maybe I'll do it in time to see the reopening of the Japanese garden next spring. If not, I've still got some guest passes to last a few more visits. Hooray for hoarding!