Shelburne Museum: Art, Collectables and Junk Rolled into One Crazy Museum!

Location:
United States

art, museums, tourist attraction

By T

When I entered the sprawling 45 acres of the Shelburne Museum, located in Shelburne, VT (just outside of Burlington), I felt like I had stepped into traditional New England Americana with its sweeping lush, green pastures until my eye caught in the distant a monstrous steam ship, the Ticonderoga, and village-like buildings dotting the hillside. My first thoughts were: am I in the wrong state? Is this a commune? I love museums and whenever I travel, I try to get in my dose of local culture and was excited to see a real-live New England museum. I was an American Studies minor so a helping of Vermont Americana was right up my cultural alley! However, I definitely was not prepared for this Musuem of Oddity. I was lucky to personally know one of the guides (and a free ticket is always a nice perk). I had been warned that the museum was "unique" but that was an understatement. I felt like I had stepped into Electra Havemeyer Webb's, Shelburne Museum founder, personal art collectibles Wax Museum of "everything I've ever collected in my lifetime" (minus the Michael Jackson and Mick Jagger statues). I have never seen such American folk art and more traditional art collections exhibited in such a bizarre and spectacular way. Ranging from original Impressionist paintings to beautiful Amish quilts to one house dedicated solely to duck hunting decoys. Even her first name, Electra, boasts an eccentric bent. She definitely was a woman way ahead of her time as she had imaginative, creative vision that no other woman quite had during her era. She took a big risk introducing such a museum to the country, especially during a time of tradition and propriety for women. Mrs. Webb's biggest coup was relocating 18th and 19th century buildings from both New York and New England period structures, including a full-size steam boat. Thus, the Shelburne Museum, with its 150,000 works are publicly displayed in 39 exhibition buildings, was opened in 1947. As I walked through the museum's quaint, wooden period buldings (reminescent of old New England architecture), some of the houses screamed collectibles junk--the American Folk Art looked like a scary garage sale including imposing totem poles and weird store front signs. However, the other houses boasted impeccable artistic taste, which included her private art collection. The Electra Havemeyer Webb Memorial Building was a replication of her Fifth Avenue apartment in New York and was exquisitively decorated. Even more impressive, Mrs. Webb was personal friends with famous American painter, Mary Cassat (Cassat's works also graced Mrs. Webb's walls). Actual panels from her home were transported and placed in the musuem. One of my favorite rooms was her husband's study, with dark leather panels and hunting paintings. You could imagine her husband sitting in his chair, smoking his pipe and shaking his head as his wife proceeded to buy more odd art pieces! The most disturbing collection was the Toy House filled with circus toys, hand-clapping automaton dolls and screeching trains that made me feel like was I stuck in a horror movie where all the toys come to life and attempt to kill you. It was a very bizarre collection of children's toys and treasures. Her toy collection was definitely not 2007 "kid-safety" friendly. Even more impressive was reading about Ms. Havemeyer's personal friendship with famous American painter, Mary Cassat. Ok, maybe she wasn't too much off her rocker if she knew famous artists and had million dollars, if not billions, worth of Impressionists displayed in her posh 18-room New York 5th Avenue apartment. Another bizarre moment during my trek through the museum (wear your walking shoes--it's a lot of walking!) was seeing the huge game animals that were stuffed and mounted on walls (including a rabid-looking bear). Mrs. Webb and her husband were avid hunters, and travelled all over the country to hunt big game. I think vegetarians and PETA-endorsing people would have a difficult time in this room. I would suggest skipping that house if you are pro-animal. The carriage house was also fascinating. Shiny, black carriages and sleighs dating back from the 1800s (many which were personal Webb Family carriages) had just stepped out of time. It made me want to put on a ball gown and go for a country drive. The actual landscape of the museum was impeccable and I was lucky enough to be in Vermont in late May when the lilacs were in full bloom. Gorgeous purple flowering trees were sprinkled across the lush grounds giving the museum a definite New England vibe. However, I saved the best feature of the museum for last. Sitting in the middle of the grounds was a huge, rambling steam boat called the Ticonderoga. This is where my personal contact gave tours so I was able to get the inside scoop on the boat. The Ticonderoga made her voyages on Lake Champlain between Burlington and upstate New York, shuttling both passengers and cars alike. The Ticonderoga's interior and furnishings were made to reflect the 1920s, even down to the authentic menu and china in the dining room. It took my breath away to see a huge steam boat propped up in the middle of the museum (not in water, but on land!) It was an impressive sight as I rambled up and down the stairs peering into the captain's quarters and even the engine room. I even wrote a letter to my sister pretending I was a passenger on Oct. 3, 1923. I told her to send more boot leg gin and the roast beef was too tough! Even though I spent an entire day touring the Shelburne Museum and I missed some of the buildings. According to the staff at the Shelburne Museum, it usually takes guests 2 full days to tour the entire 45 acres and buildings. If you are an art and museum buff or just like to look at bizarre, weird collections and want to hit a tourist spot that's out of the ordinary, skip the Ben and Jerry's Factory and head out to the Shelburne Museum in Shelburne, Vermont (it's not open during the winter months). Both children and adults are welcome and there is a fee to tour the museum (for more information visit their website www.shelburnemuseum.org). There is a food cafe on site (reasonable lunch prices and all the food is locally produced by Vermonters--a plus!) There is an interesting Museum gift shop so definitely stop by when you leave. I have a new appreciation for nouveau junk, I mean collectables, I mean art. Whatever you want to call it, I have a new appreciation for the American Folk art movement and unique artistic leaders, like Electra Havemeyer Webb, who shared her eclectic vision with the world.

Further Information

Travel tips: I would suggest going during their off-peak hours/season. It gets really crowded when the children are in school and also during the summer months on the weekends. I went during a week day and it was perfect--not too many people!

Must see/do at this place: I would definitely check out the Ticonderoga boat, the Barn exhibit, the gift shop, and the houses, especially the Electra Havemeyer Memorial Building

You should avoid here: It depends on your interests however, I found the decoy building to be boring and I'd skip the toy and game/hunting houses.