"Da Vinci: The Genius" at the Frazier: A must see

" Where the spirit does not work with the hand, there is no art."

- Leonardo Da Vinci-

If you are looking for one last interesting thing to do before wrapping up your summer, there's plenty to do right here in Louisville. But time is of the essence.

The Frazier History Museum, 829 W. Main Street, contains a dazzling array of beautiful and historic artifacts. But more than that, the fine folks at the Frazier also have the story behind the items.

One of the most intriguing exhibits in Louisville today is "Da Vinci: The Genius", running now through September 18 at the museum.

The 10,000 square-foot exhibition is the most comprehensive and complete collection traveling the world on a man who is considered to be the greatest genius of all time.

Da Vinci's mind was purely and astoundingly mathematical. It is hard to tell how such a man would be viewed in modern times. Merely walking through the exhibit was quite an experience.

"Da Vinci: The Genius" features a large array of full-scale machine inventions taken directly from his personal notebooks and also includes reproductions of his most famous artwork. These full-scale machines, some of them interactive, are breathtaking when you consider the timeline - these notes and drawings were made 500 years ago.

Among the machines: A glider, helicopter,parachute, tank, machine gun, a model of "the ideal city", SCUBA gear, and a movie camera.

There is also the world-exclusive "Secrets of Mona Lisa" and a high-definition recreation of The Last Supper.

The staff at the Frazier is professional, world-class and extremely helpful. As citizens of Louisville, we should all be proud of the work taking place there. It is a genuine treasure.

The feeling you get is hard to translate into words. So, see it for yourself. And see it soon before it is too late. This one is definitely worth the trip downtown. Suitable for all ages.

Admission fees: 15 and older are $18.50, children 5-14 are $7, children under 4 are free. Frazier History Museum hours are Monday through Saturday, 9am to 5pm and Sunday noon to 5pm. For more information, visit www.fraziermuseum.org or call 502-753-5663.