Kevin Henkes is Coming to The Rabbit hOle May 30 & 31

The Rabbit hOle’s exhibit honoring two books by award-winning author and illustrator Kevin Henkes, My Garden and Kitten’s First Full Moon, will open this May.

Kevin will join us for two special events at the end of the month to celebrate.

On Friday, May 30, adults 21+ can join us for Our Garden Party with Kevin Henkes. It will include a special reception, panel conversation with Kevin, book signing, and pay-per-stem bouquet bar and vase decorating project. Tickets include one drink ticket, light snacks, crafts, and access to the museum floor. Purchase tickets here.

On Saturday, May 31, we will host two family workshops! Recommended for ages 3-8, each workshop will include a read aloud, exclusive exploration of the new exhibit, and garden-themed crafts. Purchase tickets here.

“Kevin is one of the preeminent creators of the last century, and we knew we wanted him to be represented in the museum,” said Rabbit hOle co-director Deb Pettid. “Many of his books are character driven, but My Garden is environment driven and gave us an opportunity to create a unique sensory experience for younger kids.”

Scale model for My Garden and Kitten's First Full Moon Exhibit.

The seeds for this exhibit began germinating more than five years ago when we presented a cardboard scale model to Henkes over a Zoom call. Various elements, like the fence enclosing the exhibit, were created over the years, but fabrication began in earnest last May.

Designed for visitors ages 2-6, guests can walk around the garden discovering chocolate rabbits, tomatoes as big as beach balls, flowers that change color, seashells, and more. At the center of the exhibit is a garden gazebo capturing scenes from Kitten’s First Full Moon. 

“One of the things that I think we did really successfully, is that we made it look very light and beautiful, but it is robustly constructed,” said Pettid. “It’s a marriage between metal, wood, and textiles, and there was a lot of problem solving around every plant.”

The Rabbit hOle’s My Garden and Kitten’s First Full Moon exhibit will be a permanent fixture on the museum’s second floor, and provide a variety of early childhood programming opportunities.