The University of Findlay's Mazza Museum, formerly the Mazza Museum of International Art from Picture Books, is an

art museum An art museum or art gallery is a building or space for the display of art, usually from the museum's own Collection (artwork), collection. It might be in public or private ownership, be accessible to all, or have restrictions in place. Although ...

located at The University of Findlay in

Findlay, Ohio Findlay ( ) is a city in Hancock County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. The second-largest city in Northwest Ohio, Findlay lies about 40 miles (64 km) south of Toledo, Ohio, Toledo. Its population was 40,313 at the 2020 United Sta ...

. It is devoted to illustrations from

children's A child () is a human being between the stages of birth and puberty, or between the developmental period of infancy and puberty. The term may also refer to an unborn human being. In English-speaking countries, the legal definition of ''child ...

picture books A picture book combines visual and verbal narratives in a book format, most often aimed at young children. With the narrative told primarily through text, they are distinct from comics, which do so primarily through sequential images. The ima ...

History

The museum dates from the 100th anniversary of

Findlay College The University of Findlay (UF) is a private Christian university in Findlay, Ohio, United States. It was established in 1882 through a joint partnership between the Churches of God General Conference and the city of Findlay. UF has nearly 80 ...

in 1982. Each academic division in the school was given $2,000 to create a special event for the year. Dr. Jerry Mallett in the Teacher Education division proposed starting a collection of children's book artwork and periodically bringing an important creator of children's books to speak. "I thought it would be nice to have something, not just for that year, but something permanent that would benefit the institution, the community and our majors on a permanent basis.""History of the Mazza Museum"
The University of Findlay. Retrieved 2008-02-14. Expenses quickly surpassed the $2,000 grant but a donation by Findlay alumni August and Aleda Mazza allowed the museum to be established. In 2017, the museum held an exhibition at the

National Academy of Sciences The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is a United States nonprofit, NGO, non-governmental organization. NAS is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the ...

in Washington DC featuring artwork from their collection that featured science and math. A "mini" Mazza Museum opened in 2019 at the

Toledo Zoo The Toledo Zoo & Aquarium, located in Toledo, Ohio is a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), and is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). The Toledo Zoo & Aquarium, rated the top zoo in the country ...

, located on the second floor of the ProMedica Museum of Natural History, and features nature, animal and zoo-themed art from picture books. A

PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...

documentary premiered in November 2022, showcasing the 40-year history of the museum. "The Magic of Mazza" was created by WBGU-PBS.

Collection

The Mazza Museum has grown from four pieces valued at $1,700 to more than 18,000 original illustrations. It has hosted over 300 book artists, authors and experts."Visiting Artists – Mazza Museum"
The University of Findlay. Retrieved 2008-02-14. The museum's collection includes original works by

Steven Kellogg Steven Castle Kellogg (born October 6, 1941, in Norwalk, Connecticut) is an American author and illustrator who has created more than 90 children's books. On November 12, 2011, Kellogg was given an honorary ''Doctor of Humane Letters'' from the ...

Patricia Polacco Patricia Barber Polacco (born July 11, 1944) is an American author and illustrator. Throughout her school years, Polacco struggled to learn to read but found relief by expressing herself through art. Polacco endured teasing and hid her disabilit ...

, Ted Rand,

Jan Brett Jan Brett (born December 1, 1949) is an American illustrator and author of children's picture books. Her titles include ''The Mitten'', ''The Hat'', and ''Gingerbread Baby'' as well as retelling traditional stories such as the Gingerbread Man an ...

Eric Carle Eric Carle (June 25, 1929 – May 23, 2021) was an American author, designer and illustrator of children's books. His picture book '' The Very Hungry Caterpillar'', first published in 1969, has been translated into more than 66 languages and sol ...

, Theodor Geisel (

Dr. Seuss Theodor Seuss Geisel ( ;"Seuss"
'' Tomie dePaola Thomas Anthony "Tomie" dePaola (; September 15, 1934 – March 30, 2020) was an American writer and illustrator who created more than 260 children's books, such as '' Strega Nona''. He received the Children's Literature Legacy Award for his lifet ...

Tomi Ungerer Jean-Thomas "Tomi" Ungerer (; 28 November 1931 – 9 February 2019) was a French artist and writer from Alsace (a French region on the French/German border). He published over 140 books ranging from children's books to adult works and from the f ...

, Willi Glasauer, Hans Wilhelm, and many others. Artists' honors include the

Caldecott Medal The Randolph Caldecott Medal, frequently shortened to just the Caldecott, annually recognizes the preceding year's "most distinguished American picture book for children". It is awarded to the illustrator by the Association for Library Service ...

, the

Newbery Medal The John Newbery Medal, frequently shortened to the Newbery, is a literary award given by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), to the author of "the most distinguished contr ...

, the

Golden Kite Award The Golden Kite Awards are given annually by the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, an international children's writing organization, to recognize excellence in children’s literature. The award is a golden medallion showing ...

, and the

Kate Greenaway Medal The Carnegie Medal for Illustration (until 2022 the Kate Greenaway Medal) is a British award that annually recognises "distinguished illustration in a book for children". It is conferred upon the illustrator by the Chartered Institute of Librar ...

Affiliation

The University of Findlay offers a Bachelor of Arts degree with an

academic major An academic major is the academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits. A student who successfully completes all courses required for the major qualifies for an undergraduate degree. The word ''major'' (also called ''con ...

in Children's Book Illustration. Students awarded this degree complete an internship at the Mazza Museum.The University of Findlay Art Curriculum.

References

External links

*
Mazza Summer Conference
Art museums and galleries in Ohio University museums in Ohio Museums in Hancock County, Ohio + Children's literature organizations Literary museums in the United States Art museums and galleries established in 1982 1982 establishments in Ohio University of Findlay {{Ohio-museum-stub