My Favorite Place at Art School

When I was on a trip back east in September I stopped by for a very quick visit to Rhode Island School of Design. I have not been back there since I graduated in 1987. Wow have things changed. It struck me that they bought up half of downtown. I just couldn't imagine how huge it had become, but luckily my very favorite place had not changed even a bit. It's called the Nature Lab and is basically a lending library for every natural object that can be preserved somehow. 

 I was allowed to freely open any cabinet or drawer I wanted, move stuff around, but really as you can see in the photos every little cabinet is it's own picture perfect setup.

 Every Item get a number that is used when you check it out.- Just like a library book. I Can remember checking out a bat with it's wings outstretched in a little flat box. I have no recollection what assignment I may have needed a bat for.......

 Just some of the bugs and butterfly collection.

 I liked this bird box, but had trouble with the light bouncing off for a great photo

 There is an attached room that was all skeletons. Every student had to sketch a full skeleton from the 'lab' as one of the first drawing assignments.

I hope they always keep this room. One of the good things about visiting was that even though the school had grown by leaps and bounds, most of the actual buildings are some of the oldest buildings around. Located in one of the most historic districts in New England. So on the outside it was like I'd never left.