My first stop in Grand Rapids was the Public Museum, where I will soon be exhibiting my work. I was extremely impressed with the museum collection and exhibits on display, especially the incredible number of taxidermy specimen. I was reminded of how much I enjoy visiting natural history museums, and was struck by the peculiarity of simulated nature. I particularly enjoyed the portion of the museum which displayed collections of bones, stones, and creatures among other beautiful and curious items. The museum consciously displays these items as they might have been showcased when they were first collected, more in the fashion of curiosity cabinets where items were arranged in a way that was aesthetically pleasing instead of categorizing them by their habitat or in the context of their relationship to environment.
These photos only represent a small portion of the museum's vast collection. If you are in the area I strongly encourage you to visit!