Surprise, surprise, this ISN’T a book review!
Today, I just wanted to take some time to catalogue my recent experience at Natura Obscura, an exhibit in the Museum of Outdoor Art (MOA) in Englewood, CO.
Natura Obscura is an interactive art exhibit, a combination of sculptures, recycled materials, and technology. Its theme is a bizarre sort of fantastical, nighttime forest, where strange creatures dwell in every nook and cranny. With an app on your phone, you can tour certain parts; the tour is activated by scanning your camera over one of six wooden medallions, which have pictures of forest spirits carved into them.
This was an illustration of three of the six spirits. Each one represented something different (ex. mountains, water, plains). I immensely enjoyed how much attention to detail was put in to creating this exhibit.
We were also given little UV flashlights upon entering the exhibit. When you waved them around, they revealed that many elements in the exhibit were decorated with blacklight-activated paint. Often, the light revealed these tiny little creatures, which were hidden all over the exhibit.
Other times, the light revealed drawings of leaves and hidden quotes on the floor. I got a few incredible quotes out of that morning.
Also, the laces of my Converse glow under a blacklight. Go figure.
Another path in the exhibit led to the Cabinet of Curiosities. This was a smaller exhibit, but by no means worse than Natura Obscura. It was filled from floor to ceiling with odd, Victorian artifacts, mirrors. There was even an audiobook recording of Alice in Wonderland being played in the background.
There were loads of classic fairy tale and nursery rhyme Easter eggs thrown in the mix as well–the rose from Beauty and the Beast, a fishtank with a quote from The Little Mermaid, Dorothy’s slippers…even the shattered remains of Humpty Dumpty.
Lewis Carroll would have definitely gotten a kick out of the whole thing.
If you’re in the Colorado area, I highly recommend that you visit this museum! I believe that Natura Obscura is a travelling exhibit, so catch it while you can. You won’t regret it.
The Bookish Mutant 