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. It's like a treasure chest for rare books and other cool items! This museum opened its doors on December 5, 1996. It holds over 15,000 unique items, including old books, special papers, and interesting artifacts.
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 Bienes Museum is a large space, designed by architect Donald Singer. It has a cool curved wooden ceiling and walls made of wood, glass, and stone. The museum also has rooms for talks and events.
The Bienes Museum has many important collections. These include old government project papers, books about books, and items related to Florida authors. They also have special collections of children's books, like alphabet books and pop-up books.
Discover the Bienes Museum Collections
The Bienes Museum of the Modern Book has many amazing collections. Some of the most fun ones for young readers include:
Alphabet Adventures: The Nyr Indictor Collection
This collection is all about alphabets! It has over 2,000 items that show how alphabets developed around the world. You can find ABC books in many languages, like Arabic, Chinese, English, French, and Spanish. It also includes fun items like:
- Toys and games
- Ceramics
- Clothing
- Jigsaw puzzles
- Wrapping paper
More ABC Fun: The Jean Trebbi Collection
This collection adds even more alphabet books! It has over 300 books gathered over 20 years. You can find first editions, signed copies, and rare books from the late 1800s to today.
Classic Comics: The Duane H. Siers Big Little Books
Step back in time with these "Big Little Books"! This collection has 500 of these small, thick books from 1932 to the 1970s. They are about 4.5 inches tall and 3.75 inches wide. Each book has black and white pictures with colorful covers. These books often featured popular characters from:
- Comic strips (like Dick Tracy and Flash Gordon)
- Movies
- Radio shows
- Children's classics (like Tarzan)
Superhero Stories: The Bienes Museum Comic Books
If you love superheroes, you'll enjoy this collection! It has about 2,400 old comic books 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
- Iron Man
- Star Wars
Art in Books: Leonard Everett Fisher's Illustrations
This collection features about 140 books illustrated by Leonard Everett Fisher. He is a famous author and artist who has created pictures for over 260 books for young readers since 1955. He has won awards for his amazing illustrations.
Pop-Up Wonders: The Vojtech Kubasta Collection
Get ready for some amazing pop-up books! This collection features the works of Vojtech Kubasta, a talented artist from the Czech Republic. He was known for his children's book illustrations and pop-up designs. The collection includes:
- Pop-up books and greeting cards
- Advertisements and calendars
- Flat books and maps
- Postcards and posters
The Bienes Museum started collecting his works in 2001. Now, it has the largest public collection of his art in the United States!
Explore More Online
You can see many parts of these collections online! Just visit the Broward County Library Digital Archives. The museum also hosts special exhibits and fun festivals throughout the year.
