History

The National Museum of Natural History commissioned Missouri artist Gary Staab for a commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Staab sculpted three bison on a heroic scale.

Maybe you have a pink Care Bear with a rainbow belly, a blue Smurfette with long blonde hair, or one of those Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figures in an old box somewhere. A national museum in Kansas City could include it in a future exhibit.

Heidi Pitre's series merges literature, nostalgia, and history, featuring pen-and-ink drawings on about 160 vintage library checkout cards. Interest in the pieces has expanded, but her supply of old-school, ephemeral cards is dwindling.

This Week in History: Jan. 4-10