Topic: Wacky Museums
started by: Nose for News
Posted by Nose for News on Mar. 14 2004,12:07 pm
The Spam Museum is now the third largest draw in the state behind 1) Mega Mall 2) Cabela's Is our historical museum now selling items because of improper organizing?
Special effort will ensure that future generations can enjoy their heritage
By Bev Jackson, History Is ... March 14 2004 Tribune
"After 56 years of collecting, it's time to clean house. With the present file card/ accession sheet system of itemizing artifacts, we are dependent on staff memories to know where each item is located. it's time to computerize the collection and be able to sort items by category, location, donor, and date of gift."...
Shouldn't this have been done all along computer or no computer?
...The reasons for the sale are many - to save enough pieces for display and for educational needs, to make our exhibits more historically accurate, to organize the storage areas so we can find items for special programs, to enter our present and future artifacts into the new PastPerfect computer program,...This was not being done in the past because we didn't have a computer program?
"Bev, where would we put it? We already have six wooden ironing boards - one in the clothing storage area, three in the store room, one in the general store, and one in the hardware store. And remember, Bev, we haven't been able to use the hardware store for display for years, because there is sooo much stuff in there...."
Until we began the sorting process, we had no idea that there were 17 rug beaters throughout the premises...
This is a well organized museum with paid staff??
We have some great items and a wonderful museum.
Don't the donors a volunteers deserve better?
Here are some Wacky Museums
What should Albert Lea have?
1. The National Knife Museum
Chattanooga, TN
Thousands of knives and other dangerously pointy crap—from blades used by headhunters to Nazi trinkets—fill these halls. There’s a Rambo shrine, exhibits of the world’s largest (5’ 4") and smallest (1/4") blades, and the knife Donny and Marie used to get a new show.
2. Exotic World Burlesque Hall of Fame
Helendale, CA
Feather boas, elbow gloves, nipple pasties—you’ll think you’ve died and gone to Kelsey Grammer’s secret back room. Thrill to sexhibits including one of Jayne Mansfield’s ratty old ottomans. (But if that footrest could talk, eh?)
3. The Museum of Questionable Medical Devices
Minneapolis, MN
Head-bump measurers? Prostate gland warmers? These quacky medical gizmos and treatments represent more than 200 years of Gestapo-like health experimentation. You’ll thank your lucky stars you waited so long to be born.
4. The Titan Missile Museum
Green Valley, AZ
At this decommissioned launch site, you can climb into a silo housing a 103-foot-high Titan and reminisce about the apocalypse that almost was. Fun prank: While a tourist is leaning over some critical piece of equipment, inflate a paper bag and pop it in his ear.
5. The Madison Museum of Bathroom Tissue
Madison, WI
Come in, sit down, and check out this collection of 3,000+ rolls “liberated” from famous locales like Graceland, Churchill Downs, and a Milwaukee Sizzler. Guaranteed to wipe that frown off your face. (No taking exhibits to the men’s room.)
6. The Mütter Museum
Philadelphia, PA
Body parts and more! You’ll come for the corpse of Mega Colon man, who died with 40 pounds of fecal matter in his intestines; you’ll stay for other curiosities, including bits of famous people and rare medical specimens. For the rest of your life, lunch will be a mixed blessing.
7. The Elvis Is Alive Museum
Wright City, MO
Impersonator Bill Beeny’s roadside shrine will give you sideburns in no time. Snap pics of the 16-foot plywood Elvis and hang out by the satin-lined coffin complete with Elvis mannequin. Then choke down greasy burgers like The King himself. Just don’t say he’s gone.
8. Belhaven Memorial Museum
Belhaven, NC
Linger over the items collected by Mrs. Eva Blount Way during her lifetime, like fetuses in jars, pickled tumors (one weighing 10 pounds), a two-headed kitten, a dress worn by a 700-pound local woman, 30,000 buttons, and hideous ingrown toenails and cataracts. Bring the kids!
9. The Cockroach Hall of Fame Museum
Plano, TX
If you like dead roaches dressed up and positioned in little scenes—and who doesn’t?—this is a must-see. “Ross Peroach” and “Marilyn Monroach” are only two of the proof-there’s-no-God bug puns tacked onto this creepy collection.
Posted by jimhanson on Mar. 14 2004,1:14 pm
I've BEEN to the Titan Museum in Arizona--part of a package of tickets sold by the Pima Air Museum adjacent to Davies-Monthan AFB ("the boneyard"). The facility really IS interesting--living, working, and launching complex deep in the desert, shielded behind and beneath massive steel and concrete doors. It is well-attended, as well.Yep, there are a lot of strange "museums" out there--often displaying oddities that seem like they used to make the County Fair circuit ("SEE the amazing two-headed calf", or "SEE Bonnie & Clyde's bullet-riddled car"). I can speak from personal experience (Heritage Halls--Owatonna) how hard it is to write/design a project based on a benefactor's changing goals. I don't know of a single "museum" that makes money, at Heritage Halls, they were able to cover expenses, but not to amortize the cost of the building.
On a more positive note, there IS a market for "hands-on" educational/tourist attractions. Tommy Bartlett uses one as part of his draw in the Wisconsin Dells, the Exploratorium in San Francisco (housed in an old train station) is another. Sioux FAlls converted their high school (about 3 times the size of our old one) into an exploratorium, convention, civic, and arts center--with fantastic results. Many museums add an IMAX theatre to enrich the learning experience.
All museums have a space problem--where to store all the donated items. Either the museum needs to acquire more storage space (preferably climate-controlled and rodent-free), or get rid of unneeded items. If those unneeded items can be traded for something else, or converted to cash, so much the better. It IS TIME that the items are computer-catalogued.
The museum has one of the best (and best catalogued) collections of photos and newspapers I've ever seen.
Posted by Nose for News on Mar. 14 2004,10:12 pm
"The museum has one of the best (and best catalogued) collections of photos and newspapers I've ever seen."Jim
Good to hear that. I guess they just forgot to catalog the ironing boards and rug beaters
It could be worse.To bad there are no empty buildings in Albert Lea they could move into to solve the space problem. Do you suppose the director will want a new building?
Posted by jimhanson on Mar. 15 2004,8:27 am
| Quote |
| To bad there are no empty buildings in Albert Lea they could move into to solve the space problem. |
Board Administrator--can't you come up with a designated SARCASM smilie?
| Quote |
| Do you suppose the director will want a new building? |
(sarcasm)
Posted by MrTarzan on Mar. 15 2004,6:59 pm
We could start a National Museum of Lake Algae, featuring our very own lime crayon green hue, and showing all the great things that can be done or made from it. Then we can show other forms as well. Think of the tourists we would bring in. Then they could take a ride on the Pelican Breeze and see it in the wild. 
(Season permitting of course) In the winter we could sell blocks of frozen Wild Algae to keep forever in your fridge, or thaw and sprinkle lightly over barbecue for seasoning. Yep, you got a great idea here now Nose.
Posted by Nose for News on Mar. 16 2004,12:22 am
| Quote (MrTarzan @ Mar. 15 2004,6:59:pm) |
| We could start a National Museum of Lake Algae, featuring our very own lime crayon green hue, and showing all the great things that can be done or made from it. Then we can show other forms as well. Think of the tourists we would bring in. Then they could take a ride on the Pelican Breeze and see it in the wild. (Season permitting of course) In the winter we could sell blocks of frozen Wild Algae to keep forever in your fridge, or thaw and sprinkle lightly over barbecue for seasoning. Yep, you got a great idea here now Nose. |
The top ten things if Algae Museum is formed
1) The city will ask the county for a resolution of support.
2) The county will vote 4 to 1 giving the city anything they request.
3) The watershed board will ask the city and county to pay for a consultant/salesman to investigate how to keep algae within the lake and Shellrock River.
4) The librarian will ask to build new with a view overlooking the algae.
5) The chamber will ask to borrow money from the city for the newly formed Albert Lea Algae Improvement Company INC.
6) Port Authority head will offer his services to run this museum with a 3 year contract at $90,000/year.
7) Albert Lea mayor will educate the public on algae issues.
8) Head of Jobs Inc. will suggest we move the museum to Iowa.
9) County administrator will lead tours onto the lake from the old Farmstead site proving he really can walk on water.
10) And the lake will still be green.
Posted by GEOKARJO on Mar. 16 2004,11:00 am
There is a kid in Nebraska that save every toilet tisssue he ejaculated in and made a sculpture of president Clinton. He also made one of his wife and Monica. He calls his piece of art "Stuck on You".
Posted by Nose for News on Mar. 16 2004,12:57 pm
More Wacky MuseumsClick Below
< http://www.markandmack.com/goodies/weirdsite.htm >
Posted by farouk on Mar. 16 2004,3:58 pm
How about an empty building museum? After we get the new library we will even have a 1/2 empty City Hall! Put it together with an empty High School, old Movie Theater, Bank Building, High Rise, Wal-Mart, 1/2 empty old Sears Store, a few C Stores, and a clinic building and I think we would have something.
Posted by jimhanson on Mar. 16 2004,4:03 pm
Nose for News--Top 10--LOL! #10--revised. Commissioner Belshan tells the rest of the Commissioners that the lake is still green. After much argument, they pass a resolution (4-1 vote) that it is yellow!
#11--a new museum--"Algae--primordial soup--the beginning of life" opens.
#12--The DNR FINALLY TURNS ON 5 AERATORS, insuring enough oxygen to really cause an algae bloom--5 years too late.
#13--the Watershed board decrees that the only way to "clean up the lakes" is to divert all rainwater OUT of the lakes and into the sewage treatment plant. The lakes dry up.
#14--a local group calls for increased taxes to reverse the flow of the Shell Rock--importing water from Iowa. To insure passage, they claim it is "for the children", "will draw people to town", and "the judges mandated it".
#15--while the Watershed Board is still "formulating plans"--new ice age occurs. Question is moot.
Posted by farouk on Mar. 16 2004,4:08 pm
O and I forgot about the 54 Building. It could be a museum of the type of building one needs to bulldoze!
Posted by jimhanson on Mar. 16 2004,5:03 pm
Farouk--It appears that we have been hit by a NEUTRON BOMB--you know, the kind that KILLS PEOPLE, AND LEAVES BUILDINGS STANDING? 
Posted by MrTarzan on Mar. 16 2004,9:58 pm
Yeah jimhanson, Twilight Zone stuff, and the government in the 54 building survived, just like it was designed for, so they keep passing new laws and making unvoted for decisions for the empty town, just like it was still full. 
Posted by jimhanson on Mar. 17 2004,10:35 am
LOL, Mr. Tarzan! Reminds me of the former town of Hillsview, S.D. The town had a population of about 300 at the end of WW II, and steady decline ever since. By the 1980s, there were only 5 houses, the school, and a hardware store left. My brother-in-law inherited 2 of the houses, and bought the rest for under $500 each.The funny thing was--though the "town" had been abandoned for nearly 10 years, the street lights came on every night--because there was still money in the town treasury, and government grants. Just like the scenario you describe!
I guess that Hillsview could be classified as a "wacky museum". Maybe Freeborn County should become one of those museums that are forever frozen in time, complete with real people--kind of like Greenfield Village in Detroit, or the early Colonial educational parks in Virginia and North Carolina! (no, not MAYBERRY!)