As a child growing up in Brooklyn, there were two things that never failed to fill me with joy. Thing One was the New York Public Library, where my mother introduced me to the wonder of the written word, most notably the words and images by the incomparable Dr. Suess. From “Green Eggs and Ham” to “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas” to “Red Fish Blue Fish,” and so many more, I devoured them and never came up for air until many pages and play dates had flown by. Thing Two was chocolate.
This month I am prepared to travel back in time to recapture those childhood memories as the Morris Museum will offer a bookend twofer that couldn’t be more on the mark for any family member to eNJoy. It begins at the beginning of the month with the Chocolate Festival on Saturday February 6. Here’s a “taste” of what you can expect to find between the hours of 1:00 to 4:00PM…
*Chocolate Bingo. I’m not exactly sure how to play, but I’m guessing there’s a winner every game.
*Design Your Own Chocolate Bar Wrapper. I’m not sure if Mr. Hershey started out this way, but boy, do I have ideas!
*Hot Cocoa Craft. Marshmellows, whipped cream, Lorna Doone’s…whatever strikes your culinary fancy.
*Meet a Chocolatier. There are good jobs and not-so-good jobs. I think making chocolate qualifies as the former.
*Chocolate Inspired Games. After “Ring around the Tootsie Roll” I got nothin’.
*Performance of “Miss Nelson is Missing.”
The month comes to a silly and satisfying close on Saturday February 27 with the Dr. Seuss Family Festival as we celebrate the birthday of one of the most beloved children’s authors. Bring your child and your parents too, here are a few things you can do…
*Readings of Dr. Seuss classics by the Cat in the Hat. Who else? Donald Trump?
*Mix up a batch of Oobleck. Which is what my wife references when I attempt to prepare dinner.
*Create items you might find in a Dr. Seuss book. In my house we call that “asking for trouble.”
*Craft a pet from the new Dr. Seuss book “What Pet Would You Get?”
I once crossed a Poodle with a Parrott. Don’t ask.
*Performance of “Seussology.”
A bit about the Morris Museum – “Art and Science That Excite – Just Minutes Away.”
Originally known as the Morristown Children’s Museum, education has been an intrinsic part of the Museum’s mission from the start. The Museum was incorporated in 1946, presenting new trends in museum education through the modern use of dioramas, panels and niches. The outreach education program began in 1950 with in-school presentations to eight Morris County schools including talks about American Indian culture. In 1969, the institution was renamed the Morris Museum of Arts and Sciences, reflecting its growing emphasis on visual art and the expansion of its offerings for all ages. In 1970, gallery space was expanded and a 312-seat theatre was added, which was later named the Bickford Theatre. The Morris Museum is the only museum in New Jersey with a professional theatre that produces and presents professional productions of musicals, dramas, comedies, and mysteries; year-round children’s theatre; a jazz series; a blues series, and special concerts and performances. Today, the Morris Museum is the third largest museum in New Jersey and one of the State’s most dynamic cultural institutions, serving more than 350,000 persons each year, including 100,000 children. Audiences are drawn from fifteen counties throughout the state and reflect the social-economic and ethnic spectrum that defines northern and central New Jersey.
