Are you a bookworm? Do you find your literary references are lost on many of the people in your life? Are you always taking your friends to art museums or the theater or trying to coax them into a conversation about film or photography? If you are looking for a place to sate your intellect, you will love the Harry Ransom Center in Austin at the University of Texas in Austin.
The center is considered not only one of the best research libraries in the country, but also a museum of American artistic culture that offers everything from lectures to poetry readings. Visitors can find exhibits on literature, film, photography and much more. Learn about one of the top attractions in Austin below:
The Literature Exhibit
Have you always wondered how much Neal Cassady really had in common with Jack Kerouac’s fictionalized version of him in his novel, “On the Road?” Well, you can read letters that the two scribes wrote to one another in the Center’s expansive literature collection. Have you ever speculated on was Sinclair Lewis acquired his cynical attitude? The collection contains information about Mr. Lewis’ early life and his relationship with both of his wives.
If you prefer the short story to the novel, you may want to check out the William H. Koester Collection of Printed Works, which contains thousands of letters and manuscripts written by the mysterious author, Edgar Allan Poe. The collection also includes 178 manuscripts by America’s most patriotic poet, Walt Whitman.
The Film and Television Exhibit
Any film buff would think they have died and gone to celluloid heaven when visiting the Ransom center’s fabulous exhibit on film and television. If you love classic films, you are sure to be impressed with the Center’s collection of David O. Selznick’s work. The collection contains everything you could want to know about the producer’s rise to power at MGM and the iconic films that he produced.
If you are interested in the unsung artists who worked in film, the center offers archives of screenplays, television scripts, and art direction and design. There is even a collection of promotional campaigns for a film. These are some of the top attractions in Austin!
Austin Points Of Interest
The center is famous for its Gernsheim Collection, which contains over five million prints, including everything from fine art photography to both famous and obscure pictures by a photojournalist. The collection also contains over 400 pieces of photographic equipment from early pinhole cameras to modern-day digital recorders. Plenty of Austin points of interest to explore. After a day of exploring the center, you will want a quiet and comfortable place at which to rest, and that’s precisely what our corporate rentals in Austin provide. Call one of our vacation specialists or browse our rental listings today. We will find you the perfect home or condo to make your vacation relaxing and hassle-free! Enjoy some Austin Sightseeing. Stay at one of our best 4-bedroom vacation rentals!
