National Funeral Museum

[James Newman]

Since the Texas Prison Museum was taken so well here, I made a trek today to another unusual but equally as interesting museum that we have here in Houston. And yes Ken, I actually voluntarily paid money to go see it. It is the National Funeral Museum and it was really a very interesting place. There was "memorabilia" I guess you could call it, from many US President's funerals from George Washington to Ronald Reagan. Washington's total funeral cost was $29. That says a lot about how far we have come inflation-wise. There were many old hearses and even horse drawn sleighs used to transport caskets. I learned the whys and hows of embalming and saw how it was done on the Civil War battlefields. There was also a very interesting section that celebrated the lives and deaths of some Popes. All in all it was an enjoyable and educational experience and I am glad I went. Lighting was not too good and using auto ISO on my D3 made almost every picture at ISO 6400. It's ok though and I think they came out usable especially just for web posting. Here's a couple I came away with.

 

[Asher Kelman]

Well, James,

You are a brave fellow to walk the corridors of death for us. These are vicarious thrill I do not seek just yet not for the foreseeable future. I put the two figures side by side as they are so interesting with common superficial symbols.

Both focus life's goals on fitness for death and the sacrifice a great man makes for his people by facing death on their behalf.

Texas sure has interesting museums. I'd like to see more pictures, especially the civil war constructions.

What a surprise!

Asher

 

[James Newman]

Actually the whole museum was very interesting, educational, and not really morbid in any way whatsoever. I was quite pleased and surprised. I am quite sure California has its share of strange and different museums as well. Perhaps you will go visit one for us too someday? The Civil War section was really quite lame to me as far as the displays go. Their video presentations were great but the dioramas left a lot to be desired in that section. The mannequins looked like they came right out of the Nieman's display window and someone glued raggedy black doll hair on them. I was able however to sneak past the heavily armed security guards and into the area where Abraham Lincoln was still being displayed. Even after all of this time he still looked good. So peaceful. Almost as if he was just sleeping.
There was also a very interesting section of custom coffins made by an artist from Ghana named Kane Quaye. They were very amusing, colorful, and if I had plans on being buried someday, it would be in something like these. There was a fish, an airplane, a car, a bunch of shallots, a cow, a large crab, and a number of other items.
Here are just a few more. I made them small so as not to take up too much space and time.
James Newman

 

[Asher Kelman]

© James Newman

I'm impressed with this representation of a dead woman. It still maintains the flair of poised femininity but is not gruesome. The artist is unknown to me. Is this related to how the dead are shown before burial or is just a conceptual work of art?

Asher

 

[James Newman]

This was not a dead person Asher. It was a model or mannequin displaying the typical clothes someone would wear long ago when mourning some other dead person. She was standing looking down on a coffin. Her face was actually covered with a dark grey felt-like covering rather than the normal flesh colored plastic of most mannequins.
James