The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum, Massachusetts
Everything the RV Renter Needs to Know
Everything the RV Renter Needs to Know
“One fish, two fish…” “I do not like green eggs and ham” These and countless other phrases have a permanent place in our cultural consciousness because of Dr. Seuss’ charming way of writing about the world. His works taught children about language, about kindness, and about how we play a bigger role in our world than we might sometimes think. The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum in Springfield, Massachusetts stand as a testament to Dr. Seuss and his legacy, and it’s a can’t-miss destination for families who love to read and share silly stories together. Part of Springfield’s museum campus, the Dr. Seuss Museum has all the makings for the basis of a wonderful family vacation by RV. The area, Massachusetts’ southwest, is a beautiful stretch of land filled with woods and mountains and ponds begging to be fished. As you plan your next family getaway, here’s everything you need to know to see the Seuss museum and enjoy the natural wonders of the state with an RV rental.
Most of the museum’s first level is dedicated to recreating the Springfield of Ted Geisel’s childhood through recreations and hands-on exhibits. The entry hall features a mural of famous Mulberry Street from the classic film And to Think I Saw It on Mulberry Street, plus an Indian Motorcycle that is thought to have inspired the film. Visit a replica of Ted’s childhood home at 74 Fairfield Street, where kids can practice drawing on Dr. Seuss’s bedroom walls as the author once did. Walk through replicas of the Geisel family’s bakery and brewery, which worked to inspire many of Dr. Seuss’s most famous illustrations and stories.
Dr. Seuss was known for his love of animals, and that love is captured in exhibits like The Forest Park Zoo, which was inspired by the 1950 Seuss book If I Ran the Zoo, which was itself inspired by the Forest Park Zoo in Springfield which was run by Ted Geisel’s father. The Pet Shop is equal parts a reading room and a testament to books like What Pet Should I Get? and The Cat in the Hat.
The rest of the museum’s first floor is dedicated to bringing his stories to life in a fun and educational way as kids practice their reading skills and play games inspired by Dr. Seuss books designed to echo those works’ many valuable life lessons. There seems to be an exhibit to match each of Dr. Seuss’s most beloved books, starting with a life-sized recreation of Dr. Seuss’s ABC where kids can touch giant letters for phonetic readings.
Green Eggs and Ham WordPlay offers rhyming fun based on the whimsical rhyming patterns of the famous book. A giant statue of Mr. Gump from Wump of Gump sits in front of a massive mural dedicated to One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish. Fluffy Truffula trees from The Lorax transport visitors out of our world, Horton’s Whoville Band explores the world of music, and the Cat in the Hat exhibit invites children into the world of the mischievous Cat himself.
Ted Geisel’s surviving family members, including his stepdaughters and nephew, have donated countless artifacts from Dr. Seuss’s life to the museum, all of which are on display throughout the museum’s second floor in three separate exhibits.
Ted, Dr. Seuss recreates the author’s writing studio in La Jolla, California and features artworks, letters, and other relics from the author’s life. Of special note is Theophrastus, the stuffed dog young Ted loved during his childhood in Springfield.
Sal Da Who explores the creation of the Dr. Seuss Sculpture Garden (more on that below) and features a statue of Ted Geisel featuring hands molded from the author’s real-life plaster casts of his hands.
Ted2Ted showcases the many communications from Ted Geisel to his nephew (also named Ted) throughout his lifetime, and features the author’s cowboy boots and a chair from his childhood.
Outside the museum, the Dr. Seuss Sculpture Garden is an impressive collection of 30 statues designed by Ted Geisel’s stepdaughter, Lark Grey Dimond-Cates. This garden was actually the genesis of the museum and was inspired by a visit Geisel made to his hometown of Springfield in 1986. Ten years later, Dimond-Cates brought the vision to life in the garden, which eventually led the Springfield Museums to develop the museum as a way of expanding the garden’s appeal to visitors to Springfield.
Today, the Sculpture Garden is as big a draw as the museum itself with its fanciful and imaginative renditions of Dr. Seuss’ many characters. Horton Court features the elephant himself, plus favorites like Thing 1 & 2 and Sam I Am. The Storyteller area has a statue of Ted Geisel himself, plus the Cat in the Hat, the Grinch, and his dog Max. Statues of the Lorax and Yertle the Turtle round out the collection. For a full interactive map of everything on display, click here.
Your admission to The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum also gets you access to all five of Springfield Museums’ world-class facilities, all centrally located in downtown Springfield. The Springfield Science Museum features a dinosaur hall, planetarium, geology exhibit, an African exhibit featuring taxidermy animals, and a live animal center. The Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History has many galleries dedicated to the history of the area, including a Smith and Wesson gallery of firearms history, an automobile gallery, Hasbro GameLand, historical archives, and a special exhibit about John Brown, Abraham Lincoln, and the Civil War.
If art is more your speed for museums, the campus is also home to two distinct art museums. The George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum houses the extensive collection of its namesake George Smith, and offers a glimpse at historic antiquities from Japan, China, Rome, and Greece, plus galleries of 19th-century American paintings. Finally, the Michele and Donald D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts offers fantastic collections of European art, plus the largest collection of lithographs in the entire country.
Springfield is located near the Connecticut border close to sprawling forests and the Blackfoot Mountains. Locals and travelers alike love this beautiful area, which is filled with campgrounds and RV parks, each offering something a little different. If you’re looking to stay close to Springfield while still enjoying everything nature has to offer in Massachusetts, here are five of the top spots in the region to consider.
Nestled inside 90 acres of wooded countryside, Oak Haven Family Campground in Wales, Massachusetts is a true getaway from the noise of everyday life. The water and 30-amp electric hookup sites are spacious and shaded well by the oak trees that give the park its name. Enjoy an on-site grocery store, swimming pool, rec hall, playground, and other great amenities.
Conveniently located just off the interstate in Monson, Massachusetts, Sunsetview Farm Camping Area is a charming family campground built on what was once a functioning dairy farm and orchard. Today, guests of Sunsetview Farm love the friendly staff and amenities like a spring-fed swimming pond, an in-ground pool, playground, volleyball courts, and more.
Partridge Hollow Camping Area is another family friendly RV resort in Monson. This park puts an emphasis on family fun with unique amenities like a batting cage, arcade, and jump pad. Adults will love all of the standard features, as well, including a swimming pool, shuffleboard, horseshoe pits, and the convenient camp store featuring a propane fill station and laundry facilities.
Prospect Mountain Campground is a gorgeous mountain escape located at 1,300 ft elevation in the Blackfoot Mountains in Granville, Massachusetts. The tranquil ponds on site make for excellent fishing and paddle boating, and the mini-golf course is top-notch. Of special note here are the great family programs, including regular bingo nights and hayrides for the kids.
Just over the state line in Stafford Springs, Connecticut, Mineral Springs Campground is a beautiful family RV park and campground in the mountains offering close access to hiking and mountain biking. The on-site fishing pond is a great way to while away the time, and the wilderness RV campsites make for rustic yet comfortable RV camping.
The Blake House Café is located just inside the museum’s gates and is a great place for breakfast before exploring the museum or a quick pit stop for some lunch during your visit. Offering wraps, sandwiches, salads, soups, and children’s options, Blake House Café is a no-frills but still delicious dining option right at the museum. Also, they offer gourmet coffee and espresso for mom and dad or anybody who needs a quick pick-me-up!
Springfield is home to many restaurants popular with locals and visitors alike. The most popular spot in town is Theodore’s Booze Blues & BBQ, offering everything their name implies in a great setting. Nadim’s Downtown Mediterranean Grill offers Mediterranean and Lebanese favorites, and Center Square Grill is a favorite spot for American and Italian dishes.
For more info on these and other great restaurants in the Springfield Area, visit the Western Massachusetts tourism website.