A Visit from the Morse Museum

The Morse Museum came to our school. I love it when field trips come to you, and it was FREE!

Every year  The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art AKA the Morse Museum comes to our school and presents an art lesson to our classes.

This year we were introduced to the  tsuba. The tsuba is usually a round or occasionally squarish guard at the end of the grip of bladed Japanese weapons, like the katana and its various declinations (tachi, wakizashi etc.), tanto, or naginata. They contribute to the control of the arm (the right index of the fighter typically touches the tsuba), and to the protection of the hand. (Swords of Might)

 

 

The children were given a little  lesson about the history of the museum and a lot about the tsuba. Then they were given directions on how to use the materials to create their very own tsuba.

As you can see, the museum comes prepared with touchable artifacts and a lot of bling!

My kids were amazing, in less than 20 minutes they had created the loveliest tsubas I have ever seen!

Oh myyy, I need a pedicure, please don't judge!

In addition to the FREE visit, the Morse Museum also leaves us with a family pass. This admits one family to the museum for FREE! Are they great or what? The Morse Museum houses the world's most comprehensive collection of works by Louis Comfort  Tiffany. You remember him, the leaded-glass lamp guy!

In case you are wondering, the tsuba's are made out of thick black construction paper, a little thicker than cardstock, but not as thick as corrugated cardboard. We used metallic Sharpies and Crayola Model Clay with jewels. The kids went wild for this!

Look closely at some of the tsubas, I think there are a few bees in them!