Earlier this week, the New York Times ran the article “Sendak’s Estate: Debating Where The Things Go,” which raises the question – would anyone be willing to travel to Ridgefield to visit Maurice Sendak’s home if it is turned into a museum and study center. There are several reasons why I believe Maurice Sendak’s home should be turned into a museum and study center.
Preserving the home and turning it into a museum and study center was Sendak’s request. While Ridgefield may not be a large city, it is a place that Sendak loved, it is also a place where he was inspired. Sendak’s work has inspired many writers and illustrators, and I am sure many would love to see the desk at which he worked, the view out of his window while he worked, and to get a glimpse of the world that surrounded and inspired him.
Many writers’ and illustrators’ homes have been turned into successful museums. There is something magical for those who are fans their work (and those who are inspired by their work) to visit these homes, to see how these great artists worked, to get a glimpse into their world, and get a glimpse into the life of the person behind the great books and illustrations. A few of the writers and illustrators whose homes turned into museums include William Faulkner, Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, Flannery O’Connor, Emily Dickinson, Ernest Hemingway, and Edgar Allan Poe. While E.B. White’s home is a private residence, many articles have shown readers the farm that inspired “Charlotte’s Web.” Readers want to see the homes of those who wrote and illustrated so many great works.
Ridgefield is a beautiful town that Maurice Sendak called home. As a Ridgefield resident, I would love to see Sendak’s home turned into a museum and study center. I look forward to the opportunity to visit his home, see his little corner of our special town, and get a glimpse into his creative mind through his home and his work space.
Photo credit: slightly everything / photo on flickr