The Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden

Last weekend I hung out with Max, the Lorax and Things 1-2 at the Dr. Seuss Memorial Sculpture Garden.

The garden is part of Springfield's museum campus, east of the Connecticut river and up the hill from City Hall. Seuss -- er, Theodor Seuss Geisel -- grew up only a few minutes away, though he spent most of his life in La Jolla, California. In fact, the titular street of AND TO THINK THAT I SAW IT ON MULBERRY STREET is pretty near as well. 

We stumbled upon it mostly by accident -- I say mostly because I had spotted it on a map and suspected it was something we'd want to stop and see. We were actually hoping to eat at the Blake House Cafe up the hill at the Springfield Museum, only to be turned away because "we close at 3" and it was 2:55. (Which is not 3:00... but anyway.) Later I learned the sculptures were created by Geisel's stepdaughter.

If you are looking to do a literary trip in western Massachusetts, a suggested pairing would be Edith Wharton's country house The Mount (about an hour away in Lenox). We did not see, nor did we attempt to find the headquarters of Merriam-Webster, which at least picks up its mail in Springfield. But maybe next year.