The Everson Museum (Syracuse)

(more photos here)

Every Sunday, I read the new secrets posted on the PostSecret blog, so I couldn't pass up a chance to see the PostSecret exhibit at Syracuse's Everson Museum of Art (which, incidentally, was designed by I. M. Pei). Frank Warren, the creator of PostSecret, has received more than 350,000 anonymous postcards, and more than 400 of them made a two-month appearance in Syracuse. Clem and I saw the exhibit on its final day.

Gallery admission is technically free, but we each gave the "suggested donation" of $5. Parking nearby would normally have been free on a Sunday, but because nearby Clinton Square was hosting the New York State Blues Festival, that wasn't the case. (What would the "New York State Blues" sound like? Imagine some bass chords alternating with these lines: "I pay high taxes. / Yeah, I freeze when it snows. / Oh, our State Senators are crazy. / But, baby, that's just the way it goes!")

So, because of the festival, or maybe because of the wrestling event at the Convention Center--or maybe both--all the lots nearby had "EVENT PARKING" signs, including the OnCenter lot, which we eventually chose. We said goodbye to six dollars and walked across the street to the museum.

In all my visits to art galleries, I have never, ever seen so many young people. The vast majority of the visitors looked college-age or even younger. I'd also say the female-to-male ratio was at least 80-20. I thought that was so interesting. (And trying to analyze those demographics would require a whole other blog post!)

The exhibit were pretty crowded with people, but the rooms were surprisingly silent. The secrets on the postcards seemed even more "real" when they were in front of you rather than published in a book or on the blog, so they really captured your attention.

I love museum stores, so when we were finished with the exhibit, I had to visit the Everson's. Although it was much smaller than, for example, the excellent gallery store at the Memorial Art Gallery, I found something for myself (a notebook) as well as a couple birthday and Christmas presents. Museum stores are always great for gifts.

TIP: If you visit the Everson's website and find yourself wondering just where all the important information is, mouse over the orange bar at the top of the page to get a menu to drop down. It took me an embarrassing amount of time to figure that out.

NEARBY: Someday I'd like to go to the Erie Canal Museum on Erie Blvd. Admission is free.