Small house museums have an immense advantage this summer over the big museums during the age of social isolation. Small house museums are small and for the most part see just small groups at the best of times. Tours can also control was is touched much more easily. This is when small house museums should shine with a glow rivaling that of the sun.
I was talking with a friend at a small house museum in another state and she was lamenting that they were discussing closing the museum because they couldn’t have their regular tours. That was where the conversation started but not where it ended.
,
Small house museums have a very definite period to focus their story on. It’s all good whether its twenty years or two thousand years. Just take a deep breath, close your eyes and let your mind wander to what the day to day life must have been like for the time and place and the people.
They were workers, inventors, farmers, business owners, employees, healers, lawyers, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, cooks, cleaners, travelers, entertainers, and more. They were just like you. So use local people, employees and docents with their skills as program hosts, pod-casters, speakers, writers, comedians, and singers to be ambassadors for your museum on local radio stations, cable shows, tik tok, and whatever other variety of communications are now out there.
The job of the museum is to make certain that they have as much accurate information as possible.
My personal favorite is story tellers and comedians. I enjoy listening to people tell stories written in different periods of time. Many stories, tales and fables are no longer appropriate for the age group they were originally written and intended for but they are perfect for a more mature audience. Arrange for small readings in nursing homes and rehabilitation centers, do a pod cast of a chapter book, or read on radio or cable television.
See who among the members plays instruments and then ask if they would learn to pay some period appropriate music and not the dreary stuff but the lively tunes that have never been out of date or fashion. Was handkerchief dancing culturally appropriate? How about line dancing? Outside on a lawn or parking lot will be fine. How many instruments were played at the local dances at the time? In Norwich there are some wonderfully documented stories of impromptu dances held in kitchens and main rooms. For my friend folks would gather in the barn. She told me the story of a farmer who learned to play for his cow so she would give more milk. It is perfectly acceptable to have audience limits, with multiple shows with different offerings. Use that to generate interest and most of all you won’t wear out all of your volunteers at the same time.
Period fashion shows mixed with a bridal show has enormous potential for cable and pod-casters. Taking turns in the bedrooms of the small house museum are modern brides, bridesmaids, mothers-of-the brides, grooms all being “helped” to get dressed by people in period costumes. Short vignettes of lace making,hand stitching, stories of old, new, borrowed and blue, customs, hemming, seams in, seams out, waist and bust sizes, dress colors. Don’t leave the men out. Hats, tails, suits, vests and what did the men wear on their feet? How differently were their clothes tailored? There could be a whole show demonstrating how material was dyed? My friends museum has treasures left from the wagon trains including a wedding dress with a 16 inch waist!
What about the decorations and the flowers? Help local florists by encouraging them to demonstrate their versatility and talents by creating a variety of period appropriate bouquets and decorations. Does your house have a garden? What from the garden might have been used ? Was there cake? Do a baking and cooking demonstration. The possibilities are endless!
What are some of the smaller, lesser known, collections in your museum? Lets bring them out and show them off. Now is when the rest of the details can be shown and told. Make certain donation information is prominent and clear.
What games and activities did children play? What were their chores? How did people date? My friend wanted to know more about the dating candle. What were the rituals? Do we have similar rituals today?
Lets make this the summer of the small house museum!
Thank you for reading and sharing my history and Norwich Community blog freely with your family or friends or anyone you think might be interested or in a position to take on some of the suggested projects. Don’t hesitate to contact me for further information. I am happy to pass along anything I can. Together we can make a difference. Email comments on this blog to berylfishbone@yahoo.com View my past columns at http://www.norwichbulletin.com/section/blogs .
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