Reimi and I ventured out together to BMA alone and had a wonderful time. Here is our version of BMA guided tour with a toddler: Start off with climbing the main entrance steps leading to the Fox court, greeted by circular welcome desk. Toddler does not care about the edge details of the desk and moves on to find two circular floor outlet boxes embedded in the original Pope terrazzo floor. She stands on top of each and soon finds the huge thinker on axis. Toddler strikes the thinker pose in front. Go around the Schaeffer court admiring the bronze sculptures. Toddler thinks one of the bronze statues is a bunny because it has two long things sticking up. Continue going around the SC and take a turn into a dark entry. Before hitting the purply-lit wall all the way in the back, which marks the entry to the contemporary wing, detour at the equestrian room with walls full of horse paintings. Toddler neighs and gallops around (quietly), while admiring the horses. Continue on to the contemporary paintings and huge sculpture pieces, reminding the toddler not to touch art work. You will soon hear kids chanting "more more" echoing in close proximity. Toddler grins. Head over to the experimental kids section. Check out the pulley that pulls a boot hanging from ceiling and it kicks a bucket when released. Strange when described in words, I know. You just have to see it to know what I mean. While going back toward the grounding center of the vortex that is Schaeffer Court, pass by the west wing circular atrium where the toddler will surely try to spin around imitating the architectural gesture. Gently remind the toddler to walk straight, and encourage to say bye bye to the stone sculpture that looks like a face, cueing to move on to the next endeavor. Check out Matisse collection, Tiffany window and furniture exhibition while heading toward the newly renovated East Lobby. A strangely well lit white blank wall is found on axis from Jacobs wing. It looks like a perfect place to hang art but perhaps this blankness is the art itself, a shocking contrast from the dark, heavy and ornate collection in the Jacobs wing, and it almost feels dimensionless. Or they just couldn't make up their mind what to hand there. The newly renovated east lobby is bright and airy even on a rainy day. Without noticing that the grain of the carpet should run the other way, the toddler immediately wants to go check out the famous stair. For a 22mo toddler, the regular handrail height is too high, and she tries to hold on to the glossy white curvy Venetian plaster wall with her tiny sticky hands. Quickly switch position to avoid oil stain. On the first floor behind the coat check is the family bathroom. Coat hook missing from the door. But Toddler is fascinated by automated soap dispenser, water faucet and paper towel dispenser. After excessively washing hands, we take a little break on the wooden bench facing out in the lobby before heading out through the almost invisible glass vestibule. By now, the toddler is famished and perfect time to head over to Paper Moon Diner to check out creepy display of dolls and other objects while munching on the pancakes. The end.
