san jose


Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum San Jose

rosicrucian egyptian museum san jose review

wearing: blue tee / statement earrings / black handbag / black belt / shorts (similar here) / silver bracelet / summer nail polish / sneakers / ankle bracelet /

Egypt’s history is absolutely fascinating, and we are fortunate to have a fabulous museum which celebrates this ancient civilization in San Jose. If you are local to the Bay Area, and you have not visited the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum yet, what are you waiting for? Go now! If you plan to visit the area, be sure to schedule a visit in your itinerary.

My grades in history were not that great, in fact, when I was in school it was my least favorite subject. This actually makes me laugh now because as an adult, I love history! I actively seek out historical information and I can spend hours diving deep into history. I wish I could do that when I was in school! haha To be frank, there was only one historical subject which fascinated me when I was in school, and that was Egyptian history.

In the sixth grade, my teacher had visited Egypt several times and was able to teach us about it with her personal experience. She even showed us her personal slides taken during many of her visits! It was amazing and I was extremely fortunate to have such a dedicated teacher. This is why I loved Egyptian history; she really made it come alive as compared to all of the other histories I found boring in school. Since I enjoyed Egyptian history, my Mom and my best friends’ mom took us both to the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum so we could see artifacts in person. My friend I bought earrings in the gift shop and really enjoyed the visit.

Although the gift shop does not seem to exist anymore, the museum has grown over the decades and includes genuine artifacts as well as casts of original artifacts. The description by each item will let you know which it is. Since my mom took me here, I felt it was only natural that I bring my kids here too. I wish I had done it sooner! They studied Egypt in middle school and now they are in high school and college. Is this a hashtag mom fail? Yikes! But I digress. . .

We spent about two hours at the museum but could have easily stayed longer. There are several levels to look through and the museum also has an exhibit on Alchemy which the museum plans to expand into its’ own museum. Alchemy is directly tied to Egyptian history so it will be incredible when it is complete.

One of my favorite things inside the museum is the recreation of a tomb. You can walk through the cave-like tomb and see what it is like inside of one located in Egypt. They even created the paintings and markings.

In addition to just viewing artifacts and learning history, the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum has been thoughtful in their artifact descriptions. I loved seeing how history is similar to modern day as well as how it repeats itself. You can even see an example of how clear cutting created climate change! Please read the photo below as an example.

In addition to the museum inside, there is more to learn in the museum gardens. The museum displays an outdoor version of Senet, an ancient game, as well as plants and other objects which offer descriptions of how they fit into Egypt’s rich history.

I recommend arriving a little bit early to the museum so you can enjoy the outdoor gardens before going inside. They are really beautiful and interesting!

You can learn more, and plan your visit, by visiting the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum’s website at EgyptianMuseum.org.

If you are looking for a yummy place to eat before or after your visit to the museum, I highly recommend Park Station Hashery which is on the corner of Naglee and Park Ave. They have delicious brunch items. My favorite is the breakfast burrito which appears on the specials. The regular menu is good too!

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you enjoy your visit!

XOXO

Cathy


Beyond Van Gogh San Jose

wearing: large hoop earrings / black top / G buckle belt / bracelets (local San Jose designer!) / pleated green skirt / black pouch / fall nail polish / black chain boots /

Art meets tech at the new Beyond Van Gogh, immersive experience in San Jose! I was thrilled when Beyond Van Gogh invited me to attend their press preview party last Thursday; one day before the event’s grand opening. It was amazing to be able to view the new exhibit, and to take photos, in order to share the event with you. If you are local, I hope you want to go!

I don’t want to give away too much information, because then you won’t be surprised when you attend the event. So, I will give you a brief overview!

The “Beyond Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience” is currently being held at the San Jose Convention Center in downtown San Jose. It’s an amazing walk-through and experience you won’t want to miss! The exhibit begins with an educational walk-through which details Van Gogh’s life and experiences. This is an important, educational moment in the exhibit, so make sure you read it all!

After reading about Van Gogh’s life, inspiration, and experiences, you will be guided into an immersive room which walks you through his paintings and life works. His artwork is grouped by theme, and using technology, the paintings fade in and out, and immerse you inside of them! It really is quite an amazing experience!

My husband and I chose to stand, pause, and wander through the area. If you prefer to sit, there are benches around the room, and some attendees sat on the ground and really felt themselves immersed into the art. This truly is an incredible fusion of art and tech. My husband even commented that he would love to see other artists works’ in this way. I agree!

It is also a great way to introduce Van Gogh to children, who may otherwise bore at a traditional museum. The immersive experience is fun for kids; as we witnessed several children enjoying themselves during the event. I immediately regretted not bringing my kids. This is a great exhibit for families!

Well, I don’t want to give away too much. I would love for you to attend “Beyond Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience” yourself! The event starts Friday, September 24, 2021 and runs through November 14, 2021. They have daytime and evenings hours, so you can choose if you want to do a family outing, or date night! Love that!

For more information, and to purchase tickets, please visit VanGoghSanJose.com.

What I wore to the “Beyond Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience” event:

Enjoy the event, and thanks for stopping by!

XOXO
Cathy

*I was gifted tickets to this event. all thoughts and opinions about the event are my own. all photos are my own too.


San Jose Art Walk Tour

Standing in front of the “Veteran’s Memorial of San Jose” and next to “Untitled” by Kenneth Matsumoto.

wearing: hoop earrings / grey scarf / charcoal cardigan (super soft!) / black long sleeve tee / black belt with snake buckle / holiday nail polish / black handbag / destroyed jeans (under $40) / Gucci platform sneakers /

I love finding local, cultural activities to explore and show my kids. When I heard about the San Jose Art Walk in downtown San Jose, I was excited to learn it was both an opportunity to walk around and get fresh air, as well as explore outdoor art.

The San Jose Art Walk is a public art tour of over forty different art pieces. There is a combination of murals, statues, and more! When I first looked at the map, I thought it would be a one day activity. I was wrong! There is a lot to explore; making this is a great multi-day activity.

There are a few installations which are best seen after dark. We all hopped into the car one evening and following the map, we explored LED light art installations around downtown San Jose. It was really interesting! I don’t have photos to share because we were in the car and I was driving. You will just have to explore the light installations yourself!

The second time we went downtown to explore the art walk, we parked near the Discovery Museum and walked throughout that portion of downtown, up to Cesar Chavez Plaza. This took roughly an hour and a half. We were able to see roughly 25% of the tour. We will definitely have to head back down to see the other portions of the art walk we missed!

From top left: Momotaro / Horizon / Space Dance for Peace 1 / Plumed Serpent /

Each art installation has a placard which describes the piece in more detail than you find on the map. It’s fun to follow the map, and look for each piece. In some cases, it feels like a scavenger hunt as you try to find an installation hidden in a courtyard, or behind a building. It’s a fun activity with the kids!

If you are local to the Bay Area, or you are visiting, this is a fun and free activity you can do! You can be ambitious, and try to see the entire art walk in one day, or you can break it up into different days like we are doing. Either way, it’s a great way to enjoy outdoor art while getting some exercise.

Here is a link to the San Jose Art Walk map-if you can print it out before you go, I highly recommend doing so! SanJoseca.gov.

Shop my casual fall outfit online:

Have you gone on the San Jose Art Walk in downtown San Jose? What did you think?

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy

Thomas Fallon Statue 1989