Wilbur D. May Center facts for kids
The Wilbur D. May Center is a cool place to visit in Reno, Nevada, located inside Rancho San Rafael Regional Park. It has two main parts: the Wilbur D. May Museum and the Wilbur D. May Arboretum and Botanical Garden. It used to have a children's park called the Great Basin Adventure, too.
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Wilbur D. May Museum: A World of Treasures
The Wilbur D. May Museum is filled with amazing old items and collections that belonged to a man named Wilbur D. May. He was born in 1898 and was the third son of David May, who started a big department store company.
Who Was Wilbur D. May?
Wilbur May was a very interesting person! He was a rancher, a pilot, an artist, and someone who loved to help others (a philanthropist). Most of all, he was a world traveler. He lived in Reno from 1936 until he passed away in 1982.
What Can You See at the Museum?
Wilbur May went on more than 40 trips around the world, and he brought back incredible things! The museum's collection comes from these adventures. You can see:
- Pottery from the ancient Tang Dynasty in China.
- Masks, statues, and art from Africa.
- Carved items (called scrimshaws) made by the Inuit people.
- Small figures of Egyptian scarab beetles.
- Icons from Greece.
- Scenes showing wildlife (called dioramas).
- Even a real shrunken head from South America!
The museum also has special rooms set up to look like parts of Wilbur's own home. You can see his living room, bedroom, and even his tack room (where horse riding gear is kept). There's also a room filled with trophies from his big game hunts. These rooms show what his 2,600-acre (1,100 ha) Double Diamond Ranch in South Reno was like.
Special Exhibits and Art
Besides the permanent collection, the museum often hosts new exhibits that travel from other places. These can be about all sorts of topics, like "Predators" or "Sherlock Holmes." There's also an art gallery that shows different artworks from local artists. You can find unique items from around the world in the museum store. There is a small fee to enter the museum, which is run by Washoe County.
Wilbur D. May Arboretum and Botanical Garden: Nature's Classroom
The Wilbur D. May Arboretum and Botanical Garden is a beautiful outdoor space that covers 13 acres (5.3 ha). It's a place where you can see many different kinds of trees (an arboretum) and plants (a botanical garden). It's open to everyone all year, from sunrise to sunset, and it's free to visit!
Gardening in the High Desert
This garden is special because it's located at 4,600 feet (1,400 m) elevation. It's in a unique spot between the Sierra Nevada mountains and the Great Basin Desert. This means it doesn't get much rain (about 7 inches (180 mm) a year), temperatures can change a lot in one day (50 °F (10 °C) or more), and the growing season for plants is short (less than 100 days).
The main goal of the garden is to show how to grow plants in this challenging high desert environment. It's a great example of how plants can adapt! The Arboretum is recognized as a Level II Arboretum and is cared for by expert gardeners and volunteers.
Explore Different Garden Areas
The garden has several different areas, each with its own unique feel:
- Burke Garden: This garden looks like an English country garden. It has elm trees and many flowering plants that bloom from May through September. You can see beautiful iris, bleeding heart, delphinium, foxglove, lupine, and campanula.
- Dixie's Plaza Garden: This area features a mix of plants that bloom year after year (perennials) and plants that bloom for one season (annuals).
- Honey's Garden: Here, you'll find shrubs and roses with yellow and white flowers. It also has a lovely waterfall and pools of water.
- Songbird Garden: This garden is designed to attract many native birds. It has fragrant flowers, seeds, and fruits that birds love to eat.
Evans Creek
A stream called Evans Creek flows right through the middle of the garden. This creek gets its water from melting snow and springs on Peavine Mountain. The water then travels to the Truckee River and eventually reaches Pyramid Lake.
See also
In Spanish: Wilbur D. May Center para niños
