Places,  Review

Cool Places Around Sedona, AZ

Copper Art Museum
849 Main Street
Clarkdale, AZ
CopperArtMuseum.com
928-649-1858

The Copper Art Museum in Clarkdale, AZ is one of those surprising places that you do not expect to find. While on other excursions I heard a few other tourists take about the Copper Museum so we decided to visit. The museum is located in the old, restored High School building. The museum has the biggest collection of copper items that I have ever seen. Items include military art, cookware, drink ware, distillery and wine making objects, art, architecture, religious items, etc. There is so much to see there and I found it completely fascinating. My favorite artifacts were the trench art shells. These are spent artillery casings that were engraved, reshaped and turned into incredible art pieces. There were also items in brass and bronze because copper is the predominant metal in these alloys. The adult entry fee is $9 and this is well worth it. While in the area consider visiting the rejuvenated ghost town of Jerome which is just up the hill from the Copper Museum.

Nellie Bly Kaleidoscopes and Art Glass
136 Main Street
Jerome, AZ
NBScopes.com
928-634-0255

One of the most surprising and unexpected finds on my trip to Sedona as the town of Jerome and the Nellie Bly shop. I have always liked kaleidoscopes but I have never seen a collection of kaleidoscopes like this one. We had about 45 minutes of time before a train trip and planned on spending about 15-20 minutes at Nellie Bly and then seeing the rest of the town. Well, we spent the entire time at Nellie’s and only saw the rest of the town from the car as we drove out. I had NO idea that there were this many types of variety of kaleidoscopes. The ranged from a few dollars to over $6000 (and it looked worth the price). The had them in fine wood, plastic, and metal. Many were true art pieces that were obviously created by extremely skilled artisans. My favorites had a glass orb at the end. The orb collected outside light and the internal optics then created the kaleidoscope effect. With these kaleidoscopes you simply look through them and move the scope to change the pattern. Have someone stand in front of the kaleidoscope and you can get their face duplicated in the pattern. These are seriously cool kaleidoscopes. If you go there take the time to look through the wide variety of kaleidoscopes on display. Be sure to go on the patio area at the back of the store to see a variety of metal sculptures. Plan on spending at least 30 minutes in this small, but very cool, shop.

Valle Travel Shop Rocks & More
317 South SR-64
Williams, AZ
928-635-2008

On the road to the Grand Canyon we passed a curious looking gas station on State Route 64 north of Williams. The front of the station was guarded by life-sized metal sculptures of horses, stage coaches, Indian warriors, etc. On the way back from the Grand Canyon I just had to stop. I parked next to a HUGE geode that was probably 8′ tall. You walk into the store and find the entire interior filled with some of the most color and interesting rocks, crystals, and fossils. I was not expecting this much variety in what appeared to be a simple gas station. The door at the back of the store leads to the outside area with even more rocks, sculptures, figurines, and rustic art pieces. If are visiting the Grand Canyon and find yourself on Route 64 then be sure to stop in.

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