Bucks County (in the winter)

Day 3

Wednesday we started the day with breakfast at The Spotted Hog again. The waitress remembered us and sat us at "our table." It is so nice to feel so comfortable somewhere so quickly.

We checked out of the Golden Plough Inn and drove to Doylestown. This was a new experience, as I had never even heard of Doylestown. Our first stop was The Michener Museum. There was so much to see here. I loved that most of the exhibits were "touch friendly" as they encourage you to open a drawer, or push a button to hear a recording. It made the exhibits come alive, which is so different from the cold and uninviting reputations most museums have.

The first of my two favorite exhibits running right now was "Levittown: a Home of Our Own," featuring the contemporary photos of Joan Klatchko. The first thing that came to mind was how familiar the photos looked to me. I live in Long Island, and we have a town called Levittown here, too. This exhibit was so interesting for two reasons. One was to get the history of the man William Levitt and what his vision was; the other was to see how the "American Dream" hasn't changed much since that time. People want to own a home, have a family, and be happy. The pictures of Levittown, then and now, still show that although the years have gone by and changed, the dreams haven't.

The second exhibit, which is upstairs in the museum, was of the work of Randall Exon called, "A Quiet Light." The aspect of this exhibit that I enjoyed most was such a simple addition, but to me added so much. Next to most of the paintings, there was a quote from Randall Exon himself. It either told you what he was thinking or trying to accomplish during the painting, or just some of his thoughts. It really helped you get inside the head of the artist and better understand his work. By the end of my time walking through the exhibit, I felt as though I knew the man and his paintings meant so much more to me because of it. I truly had such an enjoyable experience at The Michener Museum because for one of the first times of my life I felt comfortable and encouraged to learn and enjoy in a museum setting. I wish more museums were like this.

Our next stop was literally across the street at The Mercer Museum. This was another hidden surprise. You have no idea what is waiting for you inside when you enter this building! I spent 5 minutes just staring around the room before even thinking about where to go first. This is a collection of every day human items from times gone by. It is quite eclectic