50 Years, 50 Works, 50 Reasons Maurice Sendak: The Memorial Exhibition September 23, 2017 – December 30, 2017

50 Years, 50 Works, 50 Reasons, Maurice Sendak: The Memorial Exhibition opens September 23, 2017, in the Museum's Holmes Gallery. Organized to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Sendak's classic Where the Wild Things Are, the exhibition features original illustrations for the book, which won the prestigious Caldecott Medal for pictorial excellence in 1964. The narrative follows a boisterous and adventurous young boy named Max who, having been sent to his room for misbehaving, ends up taking a rollicking trip to an island inhabited by Wild Things who crown him King before he returns home. In addition to the original illustrations, the exhibition will include designs for an animated short film, a feature film, and an opera based on the book. The exhibition also incorporates a selection of works from the many other picture books that Sendak illustrated throughout his 60-year career, such as the classics In the Night Kitchen and Little Bear. Several examples from Sendak's successful second career as a stage and costume designer will be on display as well.