BAM Column: Give the gift of culture
Handmade African dolls at the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History’s store. (Photo by Paul Hellstern/The Oklahoman)
From Sunday’s Life section of The Oklahoman.
Cultural gifts last a lifetime
One of the best Christmas gifts I ever received, I had to wait six months to use.
On Christmas Eve 2005, my mother-in-law presented our whole family tickets to see “The Lion King” at Tulsa’s Performing Arts Center.
In June 2006, my mother-in-law, sister-in-law, husband, older son, older niece and I watched enraptured as Julie Taymor’s grand vision of the Disney tale unfolded. (My younger son and niece were still unborn, but got to hear the show in utero. The first high note from the actress playing Rafiki marked the first time I felt my almost-2-year-old son kick inside the womb.)
As another holiday season approaches, that treasured recollection reminds me that arts, culture and learning experiences can make meaningful gifts.
Oklahoma is dotted with museums, theater companies, art galleries and other cultural institutions. Tickets to see a play, a tour of an art exhibit or a piece of original artwork can spark a lasting love of the arts.
In addition, museum gift shops offer unusual and educational gifts for parents willing to think outside the big box store. For instance, the Oklahoma City Museum of Art sells an array of art books and kits to inspire youngsters to create.
If your child prefers science, Science Museum Oklahoma carries items ranging from the Weather Center for budding meteorologists to an inflatable space shuttle for aspiring astronauts.
Besides dinosaur puppets, models and plush toys, the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History offers a variety of gift ideas, from miniature Chinese calligraphy sets to handmade African dolls.
Museums, zoos, symphonies and more also sell memberships or season tickets so that you can extend the fun throughout the year.
For those looking for the ultimate big-ticket gift, the natural history museum and The Oklahoman are sponsoring “Walking with Dinosaurs: The Arena Spectacular,” which will rule Jan. 21-25 at Ford Center.
And if you want to make a few “Hakuna Matata” memories for your own family, Celebrity Attractions is bringing “The Lion King” to Oklahoma City’s Civic Center in the spring.
-BAM
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Major thanks for the blog article.Much thanks again. Much obliged.