Adam Forsgren, EastIdahoNews.com
IDAHO FALLS — The Museum of Idaho in Idaho Falls recently announced its exciting slate of exhibits for 2022.
The museum’s large exhibit hall will host “Genghis Khan: Culture and Conquest” from January to September 2022. The exhibit is the first Asia-focused exhibit to come to the museum. It explores war, art and domestic life through a combination of artifacts and interactive experiences.
“This is like no other exhibit we’ve ever had at the museum before,” MOI spokeswoman Chloe Doucette told EastIdahoNews.com. “I feel like it’s really fulfilling that side of our mission that is bringing the world to Idaho. You’re getting a sense of a totally different culture. You’re going to get to see hundreds of Mongolian artifacts from the time of Genghis Khan.”
Along with the artifacts and interactive aspects of “Culture and Conquest,” the exhibit also feature live musical performances. Together, all the elements work together to expand museum visitors’ understanding of who Khan was and the impact he had on the world.
“Everybody knows a thing or two about Genghis Khan,” Doucette said. “Maybe they recognize the name or maybe they know a little about the Silk Road. But the impact of this person on the world is just absolutely gigantic. So I think this exhibit is going to be so much fun and really interesting.”
From September 2022 to January 2023, the museum will welcome visitors to delve into the world of toys with “Toytopia.” This exhibit examines toys throughout history, from our ancient ancestors clear through to the current day.
Adam Forsgren, EastIdahoNews.com
This exhibit features a number of awesome interactive pieces, including an 8-foot-tall Etch-a-Sketch and a life-size dollhouse, as well as numerous playable classic board and video games.
“‘Toytopia,’ in my mind, is all about creativity and design and building and testing things,” said Doucette. “But the way it tells that story is through the toys that have made us who we are as a society.”
Visitors to “Toytopia” will also get to learn about the roles toys have played in educating generations of children and see some of the engineering that’s gone into our favorite playthings.
“I think for the outside, people will be like ‘Oh, this seems really fun and I’m going to bring my family to this,’” Doucette said. “But I think what people are really going to go away with is this appreciation and experience of ‘Wow, there’s a lot of engineering, building and creative thinking that goes into making toys what they are.”
The museum also recently opened a special pocket exhibit called “Roy Reynolds: Layers of a Town.” The exhibit tells the story of Idaho Falls through a series of 30 oil paintings by masterful local artist Roy Reynolds, who passed away in September.
“(Reynolds) really had a huge impact on the museum here, both through his oral histories, his storytelling, his artwork and his donations he made to the museum,” said Doucette. “He donated the tub that is in our barbershop window down in our Eagle Rock recreation. He was such a prolific artist and it was hard for a lot of people to lose him. So, this is, hopefully, a way we can honor his memory.”
“Roy Reynolds: Layers of a Town” runs through February 13, 2022.
Visitors can still see the Museum of Idaho’s current traveling exhibit, “Body Worlds: Animal Inside Out” through December 5. Visitors can also check out the museum’s permanent exhibit, “Way Out West,” any time. Visitors who present their SNAP cards can still get into the museum for $1.00.
More information is available on the Museum of Idaho website and Facebook page.
Adam Forsgren, EastIdahoNews.com
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Source: eastidahonews.com
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