Utah's Hogle Zoo

Yesterday Sean and I went to Hogle Zoo and we had a really great time.  I hadn't been there for a long time and I was really impressed with some of the new enclosures.

I really liked the African Savanna enclosure which is where the giraffes, zebras, and ostriches live.  You can purchase an opportunity to feed the giraffes.

The lions are also found in the African Savanna enclosure.  When we first got there all of the lions were sleeping but eventually some of them got up and walked around which was fun to see.

This cute little monkey just walked over to this rock and sat on it with his arms crossed.  He sat there for quite a while just looking at us.

My favorite enclosure is the Elephant Encounter because elephants are my favorite animals.  This is Christie with her daughter Zuri.  I remember when Zuri was born and she has gotten so big!

I was happy to see the rhinoceros because they are so endangered.

In the Asian Highlands enclosure this tiger was really active and he was fun to watch.

In order to visit Hogle Zoo you must purchase a ticket for a specific time online (although I did see people at the ticket booth) and the number of people allowed inside is limited, which has become the new normal because of Covid-19.  There is a new temporary entrance through the pavilion so people can be socially distant while entering and masks are highly encouraged.  There were some areas which were closed because of Covid-19 but we were able to see a lot.  Go here for more information.  We had the earliest entry time, which was 9:00 am, and we basically had the zoo to ourselves for several hours.  When we left it was starting to get a bit more crowded.

Utah Museum of Fine Arts

Yesterday Sean and I made a visit to the Utah Museum of Fine Arts.  There are three paintings on loan from the Smithsonian American Art Museum that I really wanted to see before they leave on Oct. 4.  I invited Sean to come with me and I was a bit surprised when he enthusiastically agreed.  He is a fan of museums but he usually likes science and natural history ones so I wasn't sure if he would like paintings and sculpture.  He actually really enjoyed looking at the art work and we had a really great time.

Georgia O'Keefe's Manhattan.  This was quite spectacular to see in person because of its scale and vibrant colors.  When you walk into this particular gallery it is the first thing you see and it takes your breath away.

Here is Sean posing in front of it to show its actual size.  

Alma Thomas's Red Sunset, Old Pond Concerto.  Thomas is a lesser-known artist who is starting to be more recognized for her contribution to post-war abstraction.  The brush strokes are meant to mimic how the light hits the ripples in the water.  It was beautiful in its simplicity.

Thomas Moran's Mist in Kanab Canyon, Utah.  This painting was one that helped shape popular perceptions of the American West in the nineteenth century.

Another painting on special loan to the UMFA through a collection-sharing program called Art Bridges is Diego Rivera's La ofrenda.  I am a huge fan of Rivera (I used his paintings when I taught about Mexico in my World Geography classes) so it was thrilling to be able to see this in person.  It will also leave on Oct. 4.

There is a temporary display (through Nov. 8) called Beyond the Divide which features scrolls, screen dividers, sculpture, prints, and Samurai armor and weapons from Edo-period Japan.

These screens are quite spectacular because they are covered in gold leaf.  I found them fascinating.

We also enjoyed wandering through the permanent collections.  Sean was particularly taken with these two paintings by Elisabeth Louise Vigee Le Brun in the European Collection.  I bought him a book about all of the paintings in the UMFA and he immediately looked Le Brun up.  He told me all kinds of facts about her on the drive home (she was the official portrait painter of Marie Antoinette).

He loved this ancient Egyptian coffin for someone named Padiusur in the Ancient Mediterranean Collection.

He also loved this bronze sculpture in the South Asian Collection.

There is plenty to see in the permanent collections at the UMFA but if you would like to see the paintings on loan you need to visit before Oct. 4.  The museum is located on the campus of the University of Utah and is now open Wednesday-Friday from 12:00-5:00pm.  It is highly recommended that you purchase tickets online in advance for a specific time block (that seems to be standard operating procedure for most places due to Covid-19).  You may still purchase tickets at the museum but entrance is not guaranteed because museum capacity is now limited to 100 people.  Tickets are $15.95 for adults and $12.95 for youths (6-18) and seniors.  Children under 6, U of U students, UFMA Members, and active military personnel are free.  Masks must be worn while inside the museum at all times and social distancing is recommended.  Go here for more information.

Hill Aerospace Museum

Yesterday Sean and I took a trip to the Hill Aerospace Museum which is located at Hill Air Force Base.  I have always wanted to visit this museum and I wasn't disappointed because it is fascinating!  There are 70 planes on display in two different galleries inside the museum and in a park outside.  In addition to the planes there are also thousands of artifacts which depict the history of aviation, the USAF, and Hill Air Force Base.  I was impressed with all of the displays and the signs describing the planes, their crews, and their exploits.  I loved it but Sean was in heaven!  Here are some of the planes displayed outside.

Sean wanted to pose in front of the missiles!

This plane is huge!  You can see how big it is in relation to Sean standing underneath it.

I loved the name of this plane!

After wandering around outside we went in to the galleries to see more planes on exhibit.  I really liked how the exhibits were set up.  Some of them even had mannequins on display in the cockpits and around the outside to show the operations involved in flying the planes.

This was probably my favorite plane.  It is a P-51D "Mustang" and it is painted like the one flown by Colonel Chelsey Peterson during World War II.  It was named "Audrey" after Col. Peterson's wife.

I also really liked this one!  It is the B-17 "Flying Fortress."  The picture of Hitler in a coffin is very amusing.

I liked the paint job on this P-40 "Warhawk."

I loved the signposts!  The displays are so interesting.

Sean was fascinated by the engine on this plane.

Due to Covid-19 you must wear a mask inside the galleries and the museum itself is open on a limited basis Wednesday-Saturday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.  There are no guided tours at this time but it is quite easy to navigate all of the displays and there were lots of volunteers on hand to answer questions.

This is one of the most well-organized museums I've ever visited and I thought the displays were interesting and informative.  Both Sean and I enjoyed our visit very much and I would definitely recommend this museum, especially for children.   I saw a lot of families with children wandering around and they were highly engaged with the exhibits.  It is located just before you get to the south gate at Hill Air Force Base just off I-15 and there is a lot of parking.  The best part is that it is FREE (donations are accepted).