Why a Family should have a Museum in their Home

 

You save things. You put them away. You store them perhaps thinking may be one day it will get used again. However, that day does not come and the things are still in the box. What do you do? Throw them away? NO! Give them away? NO! What you should do is take the things out of the box, give them a fair assessment and then ask yourself if you should keep them? The answer is YES! And here is why: because something possessed you to keep them in the first place. Most likely a dusting of memories have settled also. Memories are important. Good, bad, happy sad, or just maybe funny. That is why a family should have a museum – to preserve those memories. To remember, pay respect to, learn from, and pass onto the next generation. After all, history is his and her stories.  

People ask me why I have a Family Museum. Well, why not. If celebrities, sports stars, famous authors, military hero’s and others can, well then so can I and so can you. Your family may have vintage clothing, rare baseball cards, first edition books, Purple Hearts, antiquities. Why did you keep these things? Where are they right now? What are you going to do with them? Answer: You should put them in Your Family Museum to preserve, protect, and to feel proud of your family and yourself for doing so.

Today’s families are on the go 24/7. Time passes quickly. Age is inevitable. Memories dull. Sometimes they can even get in the way of moving on. Nevertheless, you should not forget all the important and not so important events that shaped your life. This is why you should have a Family Museum – it makes you take notice of your history and gives special meaning to you and your family.

The picture above is one image of many from the Grandparents Museum from my father's side. The few things I was able to save are dear to me; a photograph of his family, Lithuanian custom pieces; a hand-painted Easter egg, clothing sash (Juosta), and amber beads. The coffee pot and iron horseshoe I have no idea from whence they came. Before my father passed away he told me a few stories about some of these things and I have passed them onto my children. And though stories (written and/or verbal) are great ways to keep a family history alive, it is even better when you can hold the object in your hand, feel the cloth, smell the coffee, try on the beads. This is what having a Family Museum is all about - enjoying at the same time preserving your family's memories.

“The Heart hath its own memory, like the mind, and in it are enshrined the precious keepsakes, into which is wrought the giver’s loving thought.”                                                                                                                                                                     Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Note:  Why did you kept that certain something? By doing so you may feel surprisingly proud you did, especially when you show others that you care.              You may even inspire them to do the same.

Next Post: Whose things belong in the Family Museum?

 

 

 

 

 

Friday Feature

How are you doing on going through those boxes stored in all sorts of places that hold the clues to your identity that was discussed in the previous 4/4/2014 post on genealogical research? I hope at least you are giving it as much time as you can.

And what a great time to be reminded of that project and quest to find out your heritage than on this day that gave birth to our nation, The 4^th of July, 1776. Take a moment and ponder how many people became free from tyranny, free to have a voice in what they believed in and how they practiced their faith.

While we celebrate this day, let’s take a moment to reflect on how our ancestors arrived on this great land we call America. Mine like yours came from many different countries. My father’s parents came from Lithuania. My mother’s came from Italy. Before organizations like Ancestry.com and National Geographic came on the scene to help us create family trees and do DNA research, all we had were what records, papers, pictures, keepsakes, stories, both written and verbally handed down, that gave us a clue to our heritage.

When I stated our family museum, I tried my best to display as much of what I could that was saved, but I was not doing justice to it all. So eventually the museum expanded into another part of the hall, located under a windowless slanted eave, about 8 feet deep by 8 feet wide. That became the Grandparents Museum. I will blog in full about the collections there at a later date. But for now, I want to encourage you to gather as much as you and other family members have saved and bring them together at whoever’s home has the space to give your family’s heritage is due respect.    

I also want to promote this websites to further your knowledge of what is out there that can be of great assistance to you to investigate from whence you came. I hope it inspires and even raises your spirits if at any time you doubt your legacy, family traditions, customs and culture. http://www.ancestry.com/, https://familysearch.org/, http://usgenweb.org/, http://www.ellisisland.org/, http://www.statueofliberty.org/,

I also want to share these images and information on Ellis Island. If you have not visited this valued place that honors the courage of those immigrants that wanted a new world for their families, do so.

Many years ago, my daughter Tiffeni and I went to Ellis Island. We had little knowledge of my nana’s experience when she came to America. It is very unfortunate that little was saved other than verbal stories, some photographs and much misinformation. When we visited Ellis Island, its was just beginning to restore the buildings and create the data bases they have today. So we wandered through this massive building, many places closed off due to construction and restoration. When we entered the Great Hall on the mezzanine level, the expanse was breathtaking. Just at that moment, a choral group on the other end of the hall started to sing “God Bless America.” I started to cry as I envisioned my nana with her sister, clutching their small children and everything they owned as they filed through inspections lines along with thousands of other immigrants waiting for their turn to be either accepted into America or sent back to the country they left.

Before we got back on the ferry to return to New York City, we stopped at the American Immigrant Wall of Honor. As the day got colder and the misty air wetter, we encouraged each other to locate any of the names of our relatives that passed through Ellis Island. We could find only one, that of my mother’s oldest brother, Michael Albano. We were thrilled. We took pictures of his name, often wiping off the rain from the camera lens.

As we stood on the ferry, our eyes focused on the Statue of Liberty. We tried to imagine how our ancestors felt when they first saw the statue, her majestic figure holding up the light of freedom they must of have felt in their souls. Though her stoic expression may have casted some fear and doubt, her patient stance told the immigrants to feel proud of themselves for they endured rough crossings, unpleasant conditions, yet still strong and capable of starting a new life.  

So thank you, nana and the rest of my ancestors, along with my hubby’s Keith’s family who came from Norway and Germany, for if it were not for their bravery and courage, we would not be here today. So celebrate your freedom and feel proud of our America, for we are and will always be the best and strongest nation in the world. Have a wonderful 4^th.

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

FYI: A word about National Geographic’s Genographic Project. Since 2005, their cutting-edge technology and use of advanced DNA analysis and working with indigenous communities to help answer fundamental questions about where humans originated and how we came to populate the Earth, is enabling us to shine a powerful new light on our collective past. By participating in the latest phase of this real-time scientific project, you can learn more about yourself than you ever thought possible. You will also help support the Genographic Legacy Fund, which works to conserve and revitalize indigenous cultures around the world. Visit: http://shop.nationalgeographic.com/

 

 

 

 

Antiques: Desirable Ownership

 

 

What is an antique? According to Wikipedia, it is an old collectable item. It is  desirable because of its age, beauty, rarity, condition, utility, personal emotional connection, and/or other unique features. It is an object that represents a previous era or time period in human society. It is common practice to define "antique" as applying to objects at least 100 years old.  

The Hunt is on . . .  Antiquing is the act of shopping, identifying, negotiating, or bargaining for antiques. People buy items for personal use, gifts, or profit. Sources for antiquing include garage sales and yard sales, estate sales, resort towns, antique districts and international auction houses.

 

Be it hobby or a business, those who wish to start their own collection of prized antiques should first learn about the many different facets of antique collecting. Here are some tips that may be helpful.

1.) The most common feature of antiques is that they are remnants of the past. Their age may provide collectors with a good idea of their worth. The first thing as a general rule of thumb is to take their age into consideration.

2.) The time period on antique items is to target pieces that have been made on or before the 1830's. The reason for the year is that after the 1830's, most items were being mass-produced and therefore may have a selection of items that can be considered as prized antiques. This is not to say that items after that period aren't valuable. It is just that they may have different criteria for judging their value than earlier pieces.

3.) Focus on a certain type of antique to collect and then gather information as well as additional knowledge on how such pieces are being judged for their value. For example, if you are fond of collecting antique vases, then you should only concentrate on collecting vases first before proceeding to other items. This will help make the beginner focus first on gaining knowledge about antique vases and how they are valued.
 
4.) Another tip is to seek the help of other experienced collectors especially when they come upon new items to add to their antique collection. Ask for input as well as suggestions as to how best to go about a new collection. Expert collectors may provide you with tips that they may want to share and impart some wisdom that you may not be able to get from books or any other source. Such expert advice could prove valuable as you begin to amass a sizable collection of antiques.

5.) Most importantly, whatever you collect, make sure you take every step in take great care of your treasurers. There is a plethora of websites that give excellent advice and have conservations and display products to sell. Part of enjoying antiques is preserving them. Don’t forget that!

Our Family Museum is filled with collectibles. When an antique is considered so after 100 years of age, our things have about another half-century to go. But for what they are worth, their sentimentality is priceless. Our children’s museum is filled with their treasures which are precious to them for the worth they hold in memories of childhoods and young adult years. As like our collections, theirs will become more valuable with time. However, our family has a proud heritage and our Grandparents Museum is filled with antiques, not necessarily as defined as antique, but none-the-less, very dear to us. These two pictures are of my parents possessions, and they are priceless to me. And there is more on the Grandparents museum to come.

As this post is an introduction to antiques, here is a brief list of categories I will cover.

Americana (America’s Culture); Art (collectors & artisans);                        Books (book-worms & bibliophiles); China & Porcelain (fragile & delicate);   Coins (numismatics & collectors); Collectibles (nostalgic & cherished);         Dolls (one of America’s favorites); Guns (proud collecting);                     Jewelry (period & styles); Knifes (mankind accomplishment);                  Military (prideful deeds); Miscellany (unusual collectibles);                       Models (ageless collectors); Other Stuff (creature collections);                Political Buttons (hobbyists & scholars); Railroad (engineering collections); Sports (cards & autographs); Stamps (collectors & philatelist);                    Toys (sentimentality collectors); Watches & Instruments (mechanical art).

Tuesday’s Post: Collectibles