Bienes Museum of the Modern Book facts for kids
The Bienes Museum of the Modern Book is a special part of the Broward County Library in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States. It's like a treasure chest for rare books and other cool items related to books and writing. The museum first opened its doors on December 5, 1996.
This museum is home to over 15,000 amazing items. These include rare books, old papers, and special objects. The museum got its start thanks to a generous gift of $1 million from Diane and Michael Bienes. They also donated many books and items from their own collection. The museum building is 8,300 square feet and was designed by architect Donald Singer. It has a cool curved wooden ceiling and walls made of wood, glass, and granite. There are also rooms for talks and events.
The Bienes Museum has many important collections. These include items from the New Deal era, books about books, and things related to Florida authors. It also has special collections of Florida artists' books and works by famous authors like J.D. MacDonald. You can also find unique collections of "Big Little Books," books about tropical fruits, and a huge collection of ABC books. Plus, there's a fantastic collection of pop-up books by Vojtech Kubasta.
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Discovering the Collections
The Bienes Museum of the Modern Book has many interesting collections, especially some that are perfect for young readers!
Alphabet and ABC Books
The Nyr Indictor Collection of Alphabet and Related Materials has more than 2,000 items. This collection shows how alphabets developed around the world in the 1800s and 1900s. You can find ABC books in many languages, like English, Spanish, Chinese, and Arabic. The collection also includes fun items like alphabet toys, games, ceramics, and even wrapping paper!
The Jean Trebbi ABC Collection is another great set of alphabet books. It has over 300 books that were collected over 20 years. This collection includes first editions, signed books, and rare titles from the late 1800s to today.
Big Little Books
The Duane H. Siers Family Collection of Little Books features 500 "Big Little Books." These books were popular from 1932 to the 1970s. They were first published by the Whitman Company. These books are about 4.5 inches tall and 3.75 inches wide. They have black and white pictures inside and colorful covers. Many of these books are based on popular comic strips, movies, and radio shows. You might recognize characters like Dick Tracy, Flash Gordon, Mickey Mouse, and Tarzan!
Comic Books
The Bienes Museum Comic Books Collection has about 2,400 vintage comic books. These comics date from the 1950s to the 1980s. You can find titles like The Amazing Spider-Man, Archie, Betty and Veronica, The Fantastic Four, The Incredible Hulk, and Star Wars.
Books by Leonard Everett Fisher
The Collection of Books Illustrated by Leonard Everett Fisher includes about 140 titles. Leonard Everett Fisher is a famous author and illustrator. He has created more than 260 books for young readers since 1955. He has won awards for his work, including the Jewish Book Award for Children's Literature.
Pop-Up Books and More
The Collection of Vojtech Kubasta works features items by Vojtech Kubasta. He was a Czech artist known for his amazing paper engineering, especially in children's books. This collection has 315 items, including pop-up books, greeting cards, posters, and models. The Bienes Museum started collecting his works in 2001. It now has the largest public collection of his works in the United States.
The museum also hosts special exhibits and other fun events. You can see many parts of these collections online at the Broward County Library Digital Archives.
