One of my favourite museums in the world is the Pitt Rivers Museum, which I’ve written about before on this blog. Why? Because the place is like literally stepping back in time. It’s understandable that museums change and update themselves, but something is lost in the process. Fortunately, visitors can get a turn of the century feel in European museums as a number of displays are kept in somewhat original condition, but that’s not true in the States. Yet one such place exists..in New Hampshire. The Woodman Institute Museum has changed little since it was established in 1915 by philanthropist Annie Woodman to promote science, history and the arts. It has been described as a “museum’s museum” for its historic displays. The very random collection is made of taxidermed animals (including a 10 foot tall polar bear and four legged baby chicken), eggs in old glass cases with tiny labels, a room full of dolls, pinned butterflies and insects, relics from every war in which America has fought, Samurai armor, an old 13 star flag, a 37 pound lobster, Abraham Lincoln’s saddle and the last cougar to be killed in New Hampshire. It shows how much has changed in the museum world from patchwork collecting to professional acquisitioning. The Woodman Institute is the perfect example of early museological design and organization when there was no rhyme or reason to what was collected or how it was displayed. I’m glad this small, local cabinet of curiosity has survived in our ever-increasing digital world. Hopefully, this physical collection will not be lost and live on. Fingers crossed.
Woodman Institute Museum, New Hampshir
