A few weeks ago, we spent the day checking out the historic houses and America's first museum. Boy, would I love to spend the whole day in just this museum with my notebook and write! I've never done that but one day I will. And one day I'll also have a book set in Charleston. It may even be a historical ... though I need to learn a whole lot of history first. I already learned that it'd be a pain to go to the ladies room in a fancy skirt and hoop. 
They had quite an impressive collection of Roman and Egyptian artifacts, including a mummy. If you click on the pictures, they become bigger ...
An entire room was devoted to quilts. I later learned it was a special display. But my all time favorite was the natural science area. When I was in high school, I prepared a skeleton of a frog for display ... my mother was mortified and threw away every single kitchen utensil I used. I love seeing the insides ... each creature is so marvelously designed.
Science and art blend for me ... art is a reflection of the true and beautiful. Dioramas of various creatures in their natural habitat are true works of art. And the suspended eggs were magical.
Why yes! That's the skeleton of an enormous gator. And no, polar bears aren't native to SC, but this one is a permanent feature here nonetheless.
I also enjoyed the areas where they displayed life in the old days. Visiting the plantations is eye opening. We've been to a couple, and there are many more to visit.
All pictures were taken by Max, who has started his own blog to share his pictures. He's just getting started but I hope you'll visit him from time to time and encourage him. Thanks Max, for all the memories.
8 comments:
Ooh, I love museums like that--with a little mix of everything. I wore a hoop skirt in a play once; navigating doorways was quite the adventure, and I didn't even try anything trickier than that (such as, say, sitting down)!
I adore museums, especially Fine Arts and folk Art Museums. I tried to pass this love to my kids, and it took with one of the two...
About the ladies room, those corsets come to mind. I think it must have been so involved that ladies had to treat the whole endeavor less casually than we do now.
I love it, Vijaya. (And your whole blog makes me feel homesick...every once in a while I miss Charleston, and your wonderful pictures make me remember why!)
Very cool. The pictures are really good too.
Faith, some of the doorways in the houses are small, though most have double French doors designed for hooped women swishing out to dance.
Mirka, I hope my kids will always enjoy trips to the museum. They esp. enjoyed this one, but not so much the historic houses ... they take far too much for granted.
It's no wonder ladies fainted so often, with the corsets!
Rose, I'm so glad I can bring a bit of Charleston to you. We are so very thankful to be here. I love all the pictures you post too ... you've seen a lot and I enjoy reading about the books, the music and the house. Alas LJ does not like me :(
Johnell, thank you.
This looks great, and I love the skeletons, too! My guess is that coping with the hoops wasn't nearly as bad as the corsets, stays, and resulting 19-inch waists. No wonder ladies got the vapors.
LOVELY pictures! What an interesting, eclectic collection of things ... whoever curates those exhibits must be having a ball!
Marcia, I'm glad you like the skeletons. I love seeing how beautifully each creature is designed.
Thank you, Rosemary. Max reads my blog, so he'll see your comments. I once had a student who worked at the Smithsonian. BEST JOB EVER. She was a wonderful writer too.
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