I took a trip to the brand new Taubman Museum of Art in Roanoke, recently. The modern glass and steel building is amazing. Although, when the building was under construction it sparked a bit of controversy, but I think that it intermixes beautifully with the century old brick buildings and the tall business towers.
On our trip through the museum, we stopped and looked at different exhibits. I enjoyed the futuristic display of the Judith Leiber Handbags. The one that mesmerized my children was the tattoo exhibit, “Pens and Needles: Drawings for Tattoos.” As we began entering the tattoo exhibit, I was quietly warned by a volunteer that I might not find the art appropriate for children. I appreciated the warning, and we all appreciated the tattoo art.
On our way home, we stopped by Roanoke Valley Printworks. It is right next door to the museum’s entrance, and it is packed with amazing books, stationary and one of a kind prints. I consider this little gem of a store to be a destination in and of itself.
Having grown up in Roanoke, VA, I have watched dedicated women and men transform the downtown area to make it the wonderful place that it is today. The farmers market, Center in the Square and now the Taubman Museum of Art provide us with an opportunity to enjoy the vast art, theatre, heritage and culture that Roanoke has to offer.