The Museum of Everyday Life facts for kids

Have you ever thought about how special a simple object like a toothbrush or a safety pin can be? The Museum of Everyday Life celebrates these ordinary items. Founded in 2011 by Clare Dolan, this unique museum is located in a 70-year-old barn in Glover, Vermont. Its goal is to show the beauty and importance of the simple things we use every day but often forget to appreciate.

The museum is a special place that runs on an honor system. There's no ticket booth. Instead, visitors are trusted to turn the lights on when they arrive and off when they leave. They are also asked to leave a donation if they can, to help keep the museum running.

What is the Museum's Philosophy?

The museum has a "philosophy department" that thinks and writes about why everyday objects are so important to people. They create articles and other writings that visitors can read for free. These writings explore the museum's main ideas and help people see the world in a new way.

The museum also offers residencies, which are special programs where artists and thinkers can stay for a few weeks. During their stay, they help create new art and research ideas for future exhibits.

The First Manifesto

The museum published a "First Manifesto," which is a bold statement explaining why it exists. It declares that the museum is for everyone and celebrates common, everyday things instead of just famous or expensive art.

Here are some of the main ideas from the manifesto:

• It calls for a new kind of museum that is "as common as dirt."
• It argues against treating objects like they are too precious to touch.
• It celebrates the "unglamorous" parts of daily life.

Performances and Shows

The Museum of Everyday Life isn't just about looking at objects. It also has a performance company that puts on fun and interesting shows. These performances often use puppets, parades, and a special type of storytelling called cantastoria, where stories are told using large pictures.

These shows explore the connection between people and everyday objects. The company creates performances that can be held in all sorts of places, from small rooms to big outdoor theaters. The museum often works with the Banners and Cranks festival, which was also co-founded by Clare Dolan, to present these shows.

Exhibits and Collections

The main attractions at the museum are its exhibits. Some collections are permanent, while others change with the seasons. The museum gets a lot of help from the community. People donate objects for the displays and volunteer to help set up new exhibits.

One past exhibit was called 'Frayed Knot: the human art of tying and untying'. This exhibit explored everything about knots, from shoelaces to the special stitches doctors use in surgery. It also looked at how we use the idea of knots in our language, like when we say we have a "knot in our stomach" when we feel nervous.

Who is the Founder?

Clare Dolan is the creator of The Museum of Everyday Life. Before starting the museum, she was a member of the famous Bread and Puppet Theater for 12 years. She still works with them on their performances and museum.

Besides running her own museum, Clare Dolan is also a full-time nurse. She travels to give talks about her work and organizes a traveling cantastoria festival called Banners and Cranks.