Shelburne Museum — Attraction in Shelburne

Lots of childhood memories came back upon my most recent visit. With a new, critical eye, I enjoyed the whimsical craftsmanship of the carved wooden circus and the woodworking details on the doors of Electra’s home while standing witness to this museum: a beacon of settler colonialism. The artisan traditions displayed in the beautiful 19th century rifle collection exemplify an early New England art world limited to the scope of violence and warfare. What warranted the most concerted aesthetic attention were the tools that forged the path of settler colonialism. The museum guide in the rifle cabin described these guns as “used to defend against the Indians.” The weaving studio and printing press diverged here, into more benevolent artistic expressions. although even the bed quilted with a design of the first presidents faces can haunt you to the bone. Imagine sleeping under that thing!

Additionally, we should examine the roots of the Habermeyer-Webb fortune which were the establishment of sugar refinery’s. Electra was one of the richest business children of the Industrial Revolution. New England too often wipes its hands clean of the slave trade because being one step removed down the commodity chain (ie. Slave labor sugar plantationshippingrefinery etc) allows a thin veneer of innocence to persist. Almost every museum in this country is funded by families like this, wether the damage was slavery, fossil fuels or opioid pharmaceuticals (Sacklers). Shelburne Museum could ask itself this question: why must our history and art be possible only by this wealth?

Of course this is our world. And I understand only 19th and 20th century millionaires traveling between NYC and Vermont could experience those ornate velvet sleeper train cars. I enjoy the now public details of these once exclusive spaces as much as the next person. But it makes me sad to think how small the audience was (and still is), who receives such intensive craft and artistic energy.

On the other hand and just down the path, the highly collectivized and routine public art of the town blacksmith, layered under a utilitarian demand, is the type of craftsmanship we just don’t see today. Generic and flimsy plastics and metals replaced the once ubiquitous bent iron, wool and linen, wood and paint.

When I reached the doll collection I felt the ghostlyness of settler New England like never before. They were terrifying and lead me to think the museum could do a terrific midnight Halloween tour — little effort required just keep that music box music playing!

Also, my partner and I were the only young people we saw visiting that day. Interesting!

On top of all this, the racist figurines scattered around the museum could be given a second look.

An over-hall of this museums historical lens is much needed. Trading romanticism for a critical and sober look at settler colonial...

25 bucks gets you access to 40+ acres of park for 48 hours. Well worth it. Great art collection including Monet, Manet, a couple of Rembrandt's understudies (I had to double check the artist), a bunch of old timey storefronts including a general store, medical facilities, blacksmith, and a print shop that is still in use. There's also a cool old steam boat, train and station, and lighthouse that was relocated to the park. All are open to the public and you can walk through them.

The grounds are large and well kept. It's pleasant to stroll through and great for kids. They have a couple of artsy workshops to keep the kids busy with creating their own art with a guide. In the lighthouse there is air conditioning, places to charge your devices, and couches to sit on if you need a moment. There are bathrooms scattered all over. Also, I believe a good portion of the park is wheelchair accessible, as it has paved paths to all the exhibits. They also have a little shuttle you can hop on and off for free if you have mobility issues.

If you haven't gone yet, I highly recommend it. Bring a camera and water. There is a snack bar with sandwiches, cold drinks, coffee, and tea. They also sell art by local artists in the gift shop.

If you're from New Jersey, do check out the duck decoy museum, as they have a cool old wooden sneakbox boat and of course, beautiful painted decoys.

The guy in the red, white, and blue hat is not a beautiful sculpture, that's just some guy that looks like a...

So much to see! There are tons of outbuildings with exhibits and even a few living history demonstrations including blacksmith and print maker. There's the restored Ticonderoga steam ship, mini museums, exhibits, a miniature circus in a building that kids will love, and great barns with old carriages and sleighs - so interesting! We did about half in two hours, if that tells you how to plan your visit. Honestly, it was a little overwhelming and hard to decide what to see. I think it would have been good if they offered a few sample routes or tours to help you choose where to visit if you have limited time or limited mobility. There is a cafe on site kind of in the middle of the property. Staff was great when we had mobility questions. They have wheelchairs and other things to borrow. Their helpfulness was really tremendous. Note: because the property is on a hill, even with their good wheelchairs, I would recommend bringing two able bodied adults with any person in a wheelchair - it will just help getting that person back up the hill. There is a shuttle, but it would be tricky to fold wheelchairs into it. If you have people with a walker, I'd lean heavily on the shuttle service to give them a rest between walking through the exhibits. Admission is good for two days, and that's for a reason - so many...