NC Museum of History

What do you think of when you hear the term "history museum"? Untouchable, unrelatable, boring? Well, you should go to the NC Museum of History. It is none of those things. At least not for me. Yes, there are plenty of untouchables- a necessity to preserve the artifacts for years to come. However, the museum has relatable and interesting exhibits for everyone. It is hard to pick a favorite exhibit, but among them are the Thomas Day exhibit, the New Deal exhibit, and the Jewish Life exhibit. Oh yeah, and I really liked the drugstore too. I thought, a teacher could combine that exhibit with some episodes of The Andy Griffith Show and give children a really good idea of life in NC in the 1950s.

As with the Museum of Art, one of the most important aspects of the museum was that much of it was relatable. The Thomas Day story intrigued me. Having an interest in furniture making, woodworking, and interior design, I feel the need to get to know who this man and his work. His life story reminded me of the following biblical verse: Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings; he will not serve before obscure men. (Prov 22:29) Thomas Day made that verse come to life because the quality of his work transcended racial boundaries, all the way to the governor's mansion.

The New Deal exhibit pictures made me think about the photographs that belonged to my grandmother. It also made me think -- What makes a photo worthy of a history museum? I was thinking that some of those photos could just as easily be my family. I've included in this post a few photos that I scanned in from my grandmother's collection. They span the time frame of approximately 1900 to 1969. They include my great, great grandfather, my grandmother, my step-grandfather (a master brick mason whose work stands today throughout the Piedmont region of NC, and me (with the bottle). The photos may or may not be worthy of a history museum, but they are history - mine and yours. Enjoy!