Eric Carle Museum Presents Brown Bear Everywhere: A Pop-Up Exhibition

Amherst, MA (July 28, 2016) - In celebration of the upcoming 50th anniversary of the book that launched Eric Carle’s career—Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr —The Carle is sending the book’s famous characters to the main streets and outdoor spaces of its hometown. This special pop-up exhibition, Brown Bear Everywhere, on view from August 8 through October 10, 2016, will bring 14 high-quality reproductions of Carle’s original collage illustrations to some of Amherst’s popular restaurants, schools, and recreational sites. The exhibition helps kick off a year of special events to honor the children’s classic, which is one of the best-selling picture books of all time.

Framed reproductions from Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? will be located at Amherst Commons (White Dog), Bangs Community Center (Purple Cat), Bare Mountain (Brown Bear), Black Sheep Deli (Black Sheep), Fort River Elementary School (Teacher), Hampshire College (Red Bird), High Horse Restaurant (Blue Horse), Hitchcock Center for the Environment (Green Frog), Jones Library (Final Page), Amherst College Mead Art Museum (Endpapers), the Mill District in North Amherst (Original Brown Bear, 1967 edition), Mill River Recreation Area (Goldfish), the Norwottuck Rail Trail (Children), and the University of Massachusetts campus pond (Yellow Duck). Labels at each location will provide information about the works of art, the book, and Carle’s artistic process.

“We enjoyed matching each picture in the book to a specific location in Amherst,” says Ellen Keiter, the Carle’s chief curator. “Placing Eric Carle’s ‘Black Sheep’ at the Black Sheep Deli was an obvious fit, as was displaying his image of a ‘Teacher’ at Fort River Elementary School. Perhaps my favorite is ‘Brown Bear’ atop Bare Mountain, the highest elevation in Amherst. It seems appropriate that Brown Bear look out over the Valley from this majestic perch.” Keiter also commented on the town’s enthusiasm for the project. “We’ve spent the last eight months working with the host sites, and the response has been overwhelming. Not a single business or organization turned us down. In fact, each location enthusiastically embraced the project. It’s difficult to find someone who doesn’t know and love the book.” 

Brown Bear Everywhere kicks off a yearlong, nationwide celebration, including Brown Bear Turns 50! opening at the Museum on September 13, 2016. Support for both exhibitions has been generously provided by Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group.

Published in 1967, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? had an immediate appeal to children and adults alike. Martin’s rhythmic call-and-response text builds anticipation at each turn of the page, while Carle’s bold graphics and parade of animals encourage learning and imagination. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? has been translated into 31 languages—from Arabic to Vietnamese—and has sold more than 16 million copies. In addition to the original 1967 book, Carle re-illustrated editions in 1970, 1984, and 1992.

In support of both exhibitions, The Carle will launch a special page on its website with Brown Bear teacher activities, special photographs, fun facts, and a video of Eric Carle reading Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?. An accompanying social media campaign asks friends to tag The Carle @carlemuseum and submit selfies taken in town with their favorite character using the hashtag #brownbeareverywhere. Selfies will be entered in a weekly drawing to win a Brown Bear anniversary tote bag.

About The Museum

The mission of The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, a non-profit organization in Amherst, MA, is to inspire a love of art and reading through picture books. The only full-scale museum of its kind in the United States, The Carle collects, preserves, presents, and celebrates picture books and picture book illustrations from around the world. In addition tounderscoring the cultural, historical, and artistic significance of picture books and their art form, The Carle offers educational programs that provide a foundation for arts integration and literacy.

Eric Carle and his wife, the late Barbara Carle, co-founded the Museum in November 2002. Carle is the renowned author and illustrator of more than 70 books, including the 1969 classic The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Since opening, the 40,000-square foot facility has served more than half a million visitors, including 30,000 schoolchildren. The Carle houses more than 13,000 objects, including 6,600 permanent collection illustrations. The Carle has three art galleries, an art studio, a theater, picture book and scholarly libraries, and educational programs for families, scholars, educators, and schoolchildren. Educational offerings include professional training for educators around the country and Master’s degree programs in children’s literature with Simmons College. Museum hours are Tuesday through Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday 12 noon to 5 p.m. Open Mondays in July and August and during MA school vacation weeks. Admission is $9 for adults, $6 for children under 18, and $22.50 for a family of four. For further information and directions, call (413) 559-6300 or visit the Museum’s website at www.carlemuseum.org

MacMillan Children’s Publishing Group

Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group comprises FSG Books for Young Readers, Feiwel and Friends, First Second, Henry Holt Books for Young Readers, Imprint, Priddy Books, Roaring Brook Press, Square Fish, and Swoon Reads. MCPG is home to notable authors including Madeleine L’Engle, Roald Dahl, Marissa Meyer, Gene Luen Yang, Eric Carle, Leigh Bardugo, and Lane Smith.