See the David Douglas exhibit at the MAC before it’s too late!
David Douglas: A Naturalist at Work is nearing the end of its run at the Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture. The last day will be Sunday, August 25 after which it will be packed up and shipped to the Washington State Historical Museum in Tacoma, WA.
If you haven't seen the exhibit yet, I urge you to check it out. We were very fortunate to have it as David Douglas' work offered the first look at descriptions of the Inland Northwest before Europen influences. 
Image courtesy of the MAC.
From the MAC: Scottish naturalist David Douglas traveled the Columbia River and interior Northwest (1825-1833), identifying and collecting over 200 species of plants, animals, and birds previously unknown to science. This locally curated exhibit features original plant specimens that Douglas collected and pressed on loan from The Herbarium and the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew (London, England). Also on display are rare botanical books with 19th century artwork derived from Douglas’ collections, as well as unique animal and bird mounts, pelts and skins. Families with children especially enjoy the exhibit’s interactive components, as they become explorer/naturalists themselves. Check out a field bag, grab a field guide, examine seeds and plants with a magnifying glass, sketch a seed pod, and identify some plants by their smells. Hear Douglas’s adventures inside a tent and learn some Chinook jargon used for trade. Or crouch below the huge condor to identify animal pelts.
Guest curators, Jack and Claire Nisbet, also contributed to a companion website with selections from Douglas’s journals and letters, providing contextual information and illustrative material. The website should be available for the curious and researchers by August 15, 2013. Jack Nisbet’s illustrated book of essays, David Douglas: A Naturalist at Work is available at the Museum Store.
Through the run of the exhibit, Jack Nisbet has led nature hikes and wildflower walks through this region identifying flora and historical sites related to Douglas, along with presentations and guided tours in the David Douglas gallery.
Hours are Wednesdays-Sundays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and first and second Fridays until 8 p.m. The MAC is located at 2316 W. First Ave., Spokane, WA
