Enamored with spoiled pups?
The place: The American Kennel Club’s Museum of the Dog
Why it’s unusual: How many other museums have gift shops with embroidered pillows for your dog?
How to get there: In West St. Louis County, Missouri, take the Mason Road exit from Highway 40/64, or from I-270, take the Manchester Road exit to Mason Road.
When to go: Year-round, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and from 1-5 p.m. Sundays.
Are you canine crazy? Have you dreamt of a place where you could spend hours perusing artistic tributes to man’s best friend? Do you want to connect fellow canine devotees?
Then get thee to the AKC’s Museum of the Dog. With more than 700 dog-related works of art in its permanent collection, the museum is the ultimate dog- and art-lovers paradise. There are watercolors of dogs, sculptures of dogs, drawings of dogs, dog figurines, paintings of dogs…well, you get the idea. And when you’re ready to hit the gift shop, you’ll find all sorts of souvenirs to take home to Fido–everything from pillows and collars to dog dishes, and even books and T-shirts for your human friends.
Founded in 1985, the museum is located in the historic Jarville House in Queeny Park, a large, wooded St. Louis County public park. The museum is located approximately 20 minutes from downtown St. Louis, depending on traffic and construction, and hosts a wide variety of dog-related events, such as demonstrations from police working dogs, fundraisers, and artist talks. They also have temporary exhibits and exhibitions. In June, there’s an exhibit of matchbook covers that feature dogs. In 2009, there was an exhibition of photographs by Jim Brown, former official photographer of the Iditarod dog race.
And, if you’ve got extra time and the weather is nice, don’t forget to check out Queeny Park. The land was once the estate of Mr. Edgar M. Queeny, former chairman of the board of the Monsanto Corporation, and today it offers a lovely escape from the surrounding suburbia. There’s an outdoor pool, a public ice rink (open seasonally), tennis courts, extensive biking and jogging trails, picnic areas, equestrian stables, fishing ponds, and a playground that includes tunnels for kids to crawl through. The Greensfelder Recreation Complex frequently hosts exhibitions and activities.
For more info: Museum of the Dog’s Web site
