Strange Things You See at Museums!

     With April Fool’s Day coming up, I thought it would be a good time to look at the some of the strange and humorous parts of museum work.  Though my coworkers and I take our jobs seriously, there are moments when we get to laugh at ourselves.

     Mannequins provide good opportunities for interesting photos.

 

The mannequins and their clothes do have to be vacuumed regularly, even if it does look a bit strange.

 

     You never know just where a mannequin might turn up….

They can appear at someone’s desk….

….or in someone’s office.

 

     Sometimes, only parts of the mannequins show up in strange places.

They have to be stored somewhere!

     The museum’s dogs are often in on the fun too.

When we received the mummified arm, my coworkers set up this scene for me!

But you can see who really runs this place!

     Sometimes we just get caught being silly.

 

Our Director demonstrates the museum’s dental plan on the Deputy Director!

 

     Living History events and Civil War costumes can provide some interesting images.

 

One of these things is not like the others….

 

Yes, that is a cannon in front of the museum. Does it bother anyone else that it is pointed right at that child?!

 

Comparing the old versus the new can make for some interesting photos.

     Catching anachronisms can be entertaining as well.

I don’t think porta-potties were designed with hoop skirts in mind!

 

If they’d had them, they’d have used them!

 

     Halloween is always fun around here!

This was “Private Pumpkinhead”, our entry in the local pumpkin decoration contest. I can’t believe we didn’t win!

 

     In this field, good acting skills never hurt.

Kyle helps out in an amputation demonstration.

 

     Sometimes, we have some fun with the exhibits – as long as there are no artifacts involved of course!

Tom gives some advice in our amputation scene.

 

The doctor doing Sick Call gets a couple of extra patients.

 

     Just realize that your coworkers are good at catching moments you don’t necessarily want on film!

If you take a nap, they will take a picture!

 

Insect repellent doesn’t smell very good to people either!

     It seems that our visitors participate in the silliness sometimes too.

We were surprised to find one of our museum maps inside a local newspaper box one day! 

 

     It’s certainly never dull around here!

 

Photos courtesy of the National Museum of Civil War Medicine.