"Sacred Spain" at IMA

I took some time today to tour the free "Sacred Spain" exhibit at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. It's a collection of paintings and sculptures from Spanish artists that will be housed at the museum through Jan. 3.

Most of the works are from the 1600s. There are moving images of Christ and Mary as well as numerous works portraying saints and monks from that time. The exhibit is confined to about six rooms, so it was a bit smaller than I expected, but given the price of admission - nothing - it was definitely worth seeing.

For $5, you can rent an iPod audio guide to go along with the exhibit.

After the 45 minutes or so it takes to view the exhibit, take the time to check out some of the many other offerings at IMA. My friend and I enjoyed the African Art section.

Overall, the museum houses more than 50,000 pieces, and the grounds are home to walking trails, the Lilly house and a soon-to-be-completed Art & Nature Park that will include 100 acres of woodlands, wetlands, lake and meadows.

First Jesus-era house found in Nazareth

Archaeologists have discovered a house in Nazareth dating back to the time of Jesus.

Click here to read the story in USA Today.

Arbeit Macht Frei

So sad to hear this morning that the "Arbeit Macht Frei" sign has been stolen from Auschwitz. This is a similar sign on the entrance gate to the Nazi concentration camp in Dachau, Germany just outside of Munich. Visiting Dachau was one of the most memorable experiences of my visit to see the Passion Play in Oberammergau in 2000.

In case you don't know, the sign translates to "Work will set you free."