Once Upon a Playground
Review: “Death-Defying Merry-Go-Rounds and Knee-Scraping Climbing Bars Are Playground Memories of Many Americans,” Humanities, spring 2018
About the exhibition:
The classic metal and wood structures that have populated playgrounds for most of the twentieth century—towering metal slides, giant jungle gyms, whirling merry-go-rounds, bouncing seesaws—have become beloved artifacts of childhood. They are part of the personal histories of most Americans over the age of 30, as well as a tangible piece of the country’s cultural and industrial design heritage.
Once Upon a Playground offers a visual tribute to these vanishing playgrounds of our past, celebrating their place in American culture and the collective memories of generations. Co-curated by Brenda Biondo, author of Once Upon a Playground: A Celebration of Classic American Playgrounds, 1920–1975 (University Press of New England, 2014), and Carol Johnson, recently retired curator of photography at the Library of Congress, the exhibition combines contemporary photographs of classic equipment, vintage images of playground scenes from the Library of Congress’ collections, and images from period playground catalogs and other ephemera. By bringing together these diverse sources, the exhibition highlights a playground vernacular that developed over decades, while providing historical context and cultural insight.
Playground equipment often reflected the popular culture of the times, as geometric metal and wood apparatus of the 1920s and 1930s gradually gave way to pieces in the shape of cowboys and Indians, storybook characters, rocket ships and satellites, motorcycles, and geodesic domes.
Unfortunately, as communities have renovated their parks and schoolyards, classic playground equipment has virtually disappeared from many parts of the country. Yet these icons of childhood still trigger fond memories for countless Americans and remain a ubiquitous product of America’s industrial design heyday.
Tour Schedule
Once Upon a Playground is touring January 2017 through January 2022. The dates below reflect seven-week exhibition periods. Dates are subject to change; please contact MoreArt@maaa.org or (800) 473-3872 x208/209 for current availability.
- January 28–March 16, 2017 Panola College
Carthage, TX booked - April 6–May 25, 2017 Temple Railroad & Heritage Museum
Temple, TX booked - June 16–August 11, 2017 Temecula Valley Museum
Temecula, CA booked - September 1–January 7, 2018 Marietta History Museum
Marietta, GA booked - January 28–May 25, 2018 Edmond Historical Society and Museum
Edmond, OK booked - June 16–October 20, 2018 Park City Museum
Park City, UT booked - November 10, 2018–January 7, 2019 Refurbishment
Kansas City, MO booked - January 28–May 25, 2019 Fort Collins Museum of Discovery
Fort Collins, CO booked - June 16–August 11, 2019 Lake Jackson Historical Museum
Lake Jackson, TX booked - January 28-March 16, 2020 Sheboygan County Historical Society & Museum
Sheyboygan, WI booked - April 6–May 25, 2020 Elmhurst Historical Museum
Elmhurst, IL booked - November 10, 2020–January 7, 2021 Lake Wales History Museum
Lake Wales, FL booked - January 28–March 16, 2021 Naper Settlement
Naperville, IL booked - April 6–May 25, 2021 Chandler Museum
Chandler, AZ booked - November 10, 2021–January 7, 2022 Laurel County Library
London, KY booked - April 6–May 25, 2022 Save 50% on rental fees
available - June 16–August 11, 2022 Save 50% on rental fees
available - September 1–October 20, 2022 Save 25% on rental feels
available - November 10, 2022–January 7, 2023
available
Exhibition Details
Contemporary photographs by artist Brenda Biondo, along with various ephemera and images of historical photographs from the Library of Congress
Content
Fee Includes:
Press Kit
Registrar’s Packet
Programming Guide
Text Panels
Narrative Labels
Full Insurance
Installation Instructions
Custom-Designed and Built CratesCurated By
Brenda Biondo, artist, and Carol Johnson, retired Curator of Photography, Library of Congress, Washington, DC
Organized By
ExhibitsUSA, Mid-America Arts Alliance, Kansas City, MO
Out-of-Region Rental Fee
$3,400
In-Region Rental Fee
$2,380
Duration
7-week display
Shipping
Common Carrier
Running Feet
Approx. 250
Square Feet
Approx. 50
Security
Limited
Number of Crates/Total Weight
6 crates/1,159 pounds
Insurance
The exhibition is fully insured by ExhibitsUSA at no additional expense to you, both while installed and during transit.