BYU has many museums to visit and the great thing is that they are all FREE. We visited the BYU Museum of Art (MOA) when there was a Norman Rockwell exhibit, and we decided to go back and visit the M.C. Escher exhibit currently at the MOA through May 19, 2018.
We like the BYU Museum of Art a lot because it’s free, so we don’t feel pressure to see every single art piece in the whole museum. This museum is definitely more family friendly because of it’s location in Utah County. It is also a great way to introduce children to art, and more specifically art museums. We walked through three exhibits and we talked with our children about the art as we went. Our boys are getting a little older, but even after 3 exhibits, the younger two boys were burned out.
The MOA has many different exhibit halls, and the exhibits are rotated throughout the year. You can check their website to see what is currently on display, as well as what it coming soon. Some exhibits allow photo taking and others don’t, so make sure to read signs and ask before you take any pictures. They also only allowed us to use our phone camera, not our larger lens camera.
We were excited to see the M.C.Escher exhibit because there are some famous pieces that most people recognize. Our boys were amazed at the telestrations he created and that he used woodcuts for so many images. It’s impressive that he would cut the design into wood first, and then use the woodcut like a stamp to create the picture. We were not allowed to take photos in this exhibit, so definitely go and check it out yourself.
There are a few art pieces outside of the MOA in the sculpture garden. We were visiting on a warm day, so we enjoyed the sunshine and the creativity outside. It helps little ones to be able to walk around outside and get a few wiggles out at the beginning, end, or middle of your art museum visit. We also love the Plexus exhibit in the main hall which looks like two rainbows shining in the museum. Our boys enjoyed this piece, too.
The BYU Museum of Art has a small gift shop which is full of fun puzzles, cards, games, and much more. There are even items specific to the current exhibit. They also have a MOA Cafe, but we have never eaten at because it is only open a few hours a day.
If you plan to visit the MOA, make sure to look at their free Open Studio program on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays for families. They also have toddler classes. For more information and to check the current exhibits, visit their website.
