With John James Audubon’s 225th birthday approaching, libraries, museums and arts organizations around the country are arranging celebrations and commemorative exhibitions. The entire town of Henderson, Kentucky is celebrating not only Audubon’s 225th birthday, but also the bicentennial of his arrival there with his new bride Lucy Bakewell. Birthday festivities the weekend of April 24th will include “Tea with Lucy,” “Audubon’s Legacy Lives On,” and “the Footsteps of Audubon.”

The New London Public Museum (New London, WI) is presenting Audubon: The Art of Nature and in New Bedford MA, the Audubon Preservation Partnership unveils Taking Flight – The Birds of John James Audubon : ten newly conserved Audubon prints from the James Arnold Birds of America, double elephant folio returning to their original home for the first time in over 140 years. Between the winter of 1833 and 1838 Arnold purchased in installments, #74 of Audubon’s landmark folio.

In 1866 the complete set of 435 engraved and hand colored prints was donated by Arnold to the New Bedford Free Public Library. The Wamsutta Club contains the core of the 1821 Federal mansion including the office/library where the Audubon folio was originally displayed.