Oct20

‘i am a museum of everything i’ve ever loved.’ – author unknown

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what a wonderful tiny museum

dedicated to the man

who ran all the big museums

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Alexander Grant Ruthven (1882–1971) was a prominent zoologist, herpetologist, and the 7th President of the University of Michigan, serving for 22 years from 1929 until his retirement in 1951.

He earned his Ph.D. in zoology from the university in 1906, specializing in herpetology and became the chairman of the Zoology Department. He founded a new U.S. school of herpetology and described 16 new reptile species. Before becoming president he served as Director of University Museums (Museum of Natural History, and the Museums of Anthropology, Zoology, and Paleontology) and led many research and scientific expeditions. As president, he guided the university through the Great Depression and World War II. Upon retirement, he wanted to be called “Sandy,” live a relaxing life, and moved to northern Michigan. His name is preserved on campus buildings and institutions, and an Ann Arbor city park.

 

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‘how does one measure the success of a museum?’

– J. Paul Getty

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Tiny Ruthven Museum of Art, Burns Park, Ann Arbor, USA, October, 2026

 

 

 

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Source credits: Ann Arbor News, 1951, Wiki

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41 responses »

    • yes, and it changes every so often. i saw one in an artist’s yard once a few years ago and it was really nice . people could take a piece of art or leave a piece of art

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    • it’s wonderful. when he moved up north he had a horse farm, with morgans, and opened a community living center on property they owned, for older people who might need a place to live in the future. still open and thriving

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  21. I’m glad to see there are tiny treasures still dotted around town. I get nostalgic for the losses when they happen, such as the closures of long-standing restaurants and shops from my childhood and young-adulthood. Do you remember the Pretzel Bell or Bimbos? or the Fleetwood diner? Del Rios?
    I’m wondering if we’ve ever met. I went to Pioneer class of 81.

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    • i didn’t move here until 2000, but i used to come with my dad to UM football games most of my life, with my dad. pretzel bell has kind of reinvented itself, on main st. now, and a bit more upscale, but with the bell and some of the artifacts. fleetwood is still going stronger than ever and has never changed. bimbo’s is gone, and del rios is gone, but i loved that atmosphere, the employees ran the place. that would have been funny if we crossed paths without knowing, and i’m a bit older, but you never know –

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      • I had already moved south by then, but did return several dozen times over the next few years. I didn’t leave the u.s. until 2007. I would keep up with happenings through the Observer monthly magazine. That thing was a treasure trove of information and stories. As I graduated in 1981, I’m no spring chicken myself. :)

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