Since 1952, Mr. Potato Head has reigned as the world’s favorite vegetable-based plaything. The Betty Brinn Children’s Museum has designed an exhibition that includes free play with an enormous cache of Mr. Potato Head parts as well as interactive expeditions for young adventurers led by Mr. Potato Head.
In one adventure, Mr. Potato Head is in hot pursuit of the lost statue of King Tato, but needs help deciphering “tatoglyphs” for clues and reading special maps that lead to King Tato’s fabled treasure chamber. After unearthing artifacts, Mr. Potato Head’s assisting archaeologists will go to work in a research tent weighing their discoveries and reconstructing King Tato’s crown.
Mr. Potato Head exchanges his Indiana Jones fedora for a pith helmet to embark on a Spud Safari—a jungle expedition not without “danger” (including a pretend mudslide) and involving searching a cave for mysterious objects and interacting with assorted jungle creatures. “The Adventures of Mr. Potato Head” is open until Sunday, May 8 at 929 E. Wisconsin Ave.
‘El Baúl de mi Abuelita’ (My Grandmother’s Trunk)
Wisconsin Museum of Quilts and Fiber Arts
N50 W5050 Portland Road, Cedarburg
“El Baúl de mi Abuelita” features the work of two contemporary Latin American quilters, Patricia Sanabria-Friederich and Alicia Avila. The exhibition takes its name from the quilt shop run by Sanabria-Friederich’s grandmother in her native Costa Rica, where the artist found early inspiration in the elaborate tile work of the country’s Catholic churches. Avila’s quilts derive their distinctive flavor from the aesthetic and iconography of her Mexican American heritage. “El Baúl de mi Abuelita” runs Jan. 14 to April 17, with an artists’ reception Sunday, Jan. 17 from 12 to 3 p.m.
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‘Light Up the Garden’ and ‘Lynden By Night’
Lynden Sculpture Garden
2145 W. Brown Deer Road
Anyone who labors 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. under sterile fluorescent bulbs or who has whispered sweet nothings across a candelabra knows that not all light is created equal. The arboreal expanse of Lynden Sculpture Garden takes on a rare aspect when lit by lanterns on a winter’s eve. From 3 to 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 17, visitors will handcraft lanterns from recycled jars and tea candles (or bring their own) before embarking on a naturalist-led stroll through Lynden’s back acres, culminating with a bonfire and hot cider. The workshop is free for members or otherwise included in the cost of admission. Advance registration is required.
