Museums at W&L: Fall 2022 Programs and Exhibitions The Museums at W&L invite the public to their opening reception for "Museum Menageries" on Sept. 15 at 6 p.m.

By Kelsey Goodwin
August 30, 2022

“Museum Menagerie” – New Exhibition on View @ Watson Galleries | Aug. 24–Dec. 3

Visit the exhibition “Museum Menagerie” and discover the many animal images found in the collections of the Museums at W&L. Pulled from the Museums’ ceramic and art collections, these works of art include images of domestic, wild and fantastic animals representing cultures from around the globe. On view in the Watson Galleries from Aug. 24 through Dec. 3, the exhibition invites visitors to delight in the imagery and to consider the many-faceted roles animals play in our modern lives.

Animal Trivia Night @ Brew Ridge Taps | Sept. 13, 6 p.m.

The Museums at W&L are hosting an animal-themed trivia night at Brew Ridge Taps on Sept. 13 at 6 p.m. to celebrate the opening the new Watson Galleries exhibition, “Museum Menagerie.” Teams are limited to six players and a grand prize will go to the winning team!

Museum Menagerie Opening Reception @ Watson Galleries | Sept. 15, 6-7 p.m.

The opening reception for “Museum Menagerie” will be free and open to all members of the W&L community and the public. Food and drink provided; IDs required for consumption of alcoholic beverages.

Board Game Safari with Just Games Lexington @ Watson Galleries | Sept. 20, 6:30 p.m.

The Museums at W&L are teaming up with Just Games Lexington to present Board Game Safari, a free evening of animal-themed board games open to all W&L community members (and their families) ages 12 and up! This event will take place at the Watson Galleries at W&L so that participants can play surrounded by our new “Museum Menagerie” exhibition. Register at linktr.ee/gamesafari.

Lunch and Learn: Animal Edition @ Watson Galleries | Mondays in October, 12:15–1:15 p.m.

The Museums will be hosting “Lunch and Learn: Animal Edition,” a series of short, informal lectures to be held in the Watson Galleries each Monday in October from 12:15–1:15 p.m. Bring your own lunch; the Museums will provide drinks and desserts. Seating is limited, so sign up soon! Dates and lecture descriptions are listed below:

• Oct. 3 – “Web Spinning in Art, Science, and Nature,” presented by Nadia Ayoub, associate professor of biology: “Spiders spin a variety of silk structures that have captured the attention of humans for millennia. Even a single orb web is made of many types of silk, each with unique material properties. I will discuss how spiders make such a beautiful and functional diversity of spider silks.”
• Oct. 10 – “Flapjack and Me,” presented by Mohamed Kamara, professor of French: “My story is about how the interaction between the dog of one of our neighbors and me moved from a relationship of distrust to one of mutual appreciation, and I hope, respect. In the five years or so Flapjack has been our neighbor, I have learnt important lessons about how trust can be earned only through patience and humility.”
• Oct. 17 – “Bison: The big furry cow that you shouldn’t pet, but should care about,” presented by Bill Hamilton, professor of biology: “Prior to European settlement there were 20-40 million bison ranging across North America and by the 1880s they were nearly extinct. Bison were caught in the cross hairs of westward expansion and the U.S. government’s efforts to remove Native American tribes from the landscape by removing bison as a source of food. But today, bison are emerging as a conservation success story and ecosystem engineers that could potentially mitigate climate change.”
• Oct. 24 – “Are We Really a Dog Friendly Nation?” presented by Nadeen Kharputly, visiting assistant professor of English: “Many of us living in the United States would say that this is a nation of dog lovers. But is that really the case? This talk will offer a discussion of how our social and cultural attitudes towards dogs have shaped alongside racial, religious and political conflicts.”
• Oct. 31 – “Macabre Mascots: The Spooky Symbolism of Halloween Animals,” presented by Rebecca Williams, visitor services & retail manager, Museums at Washington and Lee: “If the days are growing shorter and Halloween is approaching, chances are that you’ll start to see certain animals appearing a lot more often on everything from tablecloths and napkins to costume racks and your neighbors’ front doors. Black cats, bats, spiders and owls are all animals that have long been specifically associated with Halloween — but why? It seems that the answer lies not only in a spooky appearance, but centuries’ worth of history, superstition and even paranoia.”

CramSesh Study Hours @ Reeves Museum of Ceramics | Oct. 17–21, 9 a.m.–6 p.m.

The Museums will be offering personal study spots to students during the week of midterms (Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–6 p.m.) at the Reeves Museum of Ceramics. We will provide a selection of extra school supplies, extension cords and free snacks. No reservation required!

CareLab Pet Project @ Leyburn Library | Starting Nov. 1 (Museums, Library, Mudd Center collaborative partnership)

Caring well for others can be challenging. How do we, and how should we, actually practice sensitive and responsive care? The CareLab Pet Project will allow us to share what we have learned about care from beloved companion animals and is a complement to the “Museum Menagerie” exhibition, presented in the Watson Galleries during the Fall Term. Participants are invited to submit an image of their pet and respond, in a few words, to one of these prompts:

• What has your relationship with your pet taught you about caring well for yourself or others?
• How has your pet taught you to care for someone else on their terms?

Pet Project entries will be exhibited — without identifying information about the participant — in online, social media and in-person formats. The website offers the opportunity to read how each person-pet relationship has informed someone’s understanding or practice of care. Also, watch for #PetProjectWLUposts on Instagram and Facebook (@wlu.museums). A large-scale Pet Project exhibition will open on the main floor of Leyburn Library on Nov. 1.

CareLab: Talk with Megan Mueller, Ph.D. @ Northen Auditorium, Leyburn Library | Nov. 9, 5 p.m.; reception to follow @ Watson Galleries, 6 p.m.

This session will address our dynamic relationships with animals, and how these interactions can foster care, empathy, and compassion towards animals, other people, and the environments we share. We will discuss how humans conceptualize different types of animals, how we engage with them and interpret their emotions, and how understanding our relationships with animals can help us better understand ourselves and connect to others.

A reception will follow at the Watson Galleries so that participants can view “Museum Menagerie” in conjunction with Mueller’s talk. Free, and all are welcome!