Themes in American History

Today I visited “The Lost Museum.” This virtual museum looked very realistic; I felt like I was actually visiting the museum. I can see how historical and artisitc the museum. Unfortunately, this museum burned down, which I found ironic because in the Picture Gallery, there was an article written by P.T. Barnum that spoke about mysterious fires in New York City and he was trying to identify the criminal behind these fires. “The Lost Museum” portrayed how it was one of the most entertaining landmarks in New York City during its time. If it were still standing, it would defnitely continue to be an attraction in the Big Apple. This museum doesn’t only act as an art gallery but it contains documents that explain some very shocking events in American History including the fires that raged throughout the city and the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. New York City is currently known for its various museums including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art and Museum of Natural History; therefore, P.T. Barnum’s “The Lost Museum” would flourish in nowadays. It possesses many valuable artifacts from America’s nineteenth century entertainment and history. There were images and even figures of animals, tall people, presidents, anything; you name it! These aspects of the museum would make it a very useful historical tool of the nineteenth century.

The exhibit that intrigued me most was the one that had images of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination, located on the second floor in the WaxWorks Room. I never knew that John Wilkes Booth was accompanied by two other men, David C. Harold and John H. Surrat. The image below shows the rewards that were issued on April 20th, 1865 by the War Department in Washington D.C. for the three men responsible for the murder of America’s beloved sixteenth president. There was another poster a few posts below talking about the image which is dedicated in memory of Lincoln. It’s the flyer for the play at Ford Theater, during which he was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth. I think that the addition of these historical artifacts adds meaning and value to the museum and definitely shows that this museum was a landmark.

Rewards for Abraham Lincoln's assassination.

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After taking a short virtual visit to the P.T.Barnum Museum, I understood why it used to be the most visited place of entertainment in New York. I imagined myself walking down the hall of a lost museum, learning more about the history of the US. Such an amazing cultural experience took me back to New York in 19th century.

The museum’s mysterious spirit is attributed to the cultural development of New York. As the population of the city grew, there were more distinct differences between social classes – upper class, working class, and poor. Merchants and artisans, doctors and lawyers represented a fundamental surface of a common society. These people were interested not only in how to make money, but also how to spend them right. That is why museums and theaters were the most popular places of entertainment and amusement. I believe that Barnum museum is a great example of a cultural progression in urban society.It has its own mysterious style that cannot leave a visitor unsatisfied.

The museum itself is represented as a key to scientific knowledge and social amusement with its own mysterious signature. Among the exhibits we can find the waxworks of legendary people, such as Chang and Eng Bunker, conjoined twins; Miss Annie Swan, the tallest lady living in the 19th century; the finest picture gallery; the skeletons of unusual creatures, amusement devises, valuable documents on slavery, civil war, immigration, politics, and so many other interesting aspects of history.

There were a few posters on the wall of the Waxworks room, which is located on the second floor of our museum, that grabbed my attention. The first one, was the message with information about the play, “Our American Cousin”, which had been presented to the audience at Ford’s Theater in Washington D.C on April 14 1865. This play had soon become known for the assassination of the president Abraham Lincoln. This historical note in memory of the president Abraham Lincoln demonstrated devotion to his political achievements.

The other poster was issued by the War Department, promising a large monetary reward for a person who could find the president’s assassin. John Wilkes Booth was the name of the killer, who stepped into the President’s box at Ford’s Theater and fired a deadly shot. He became the most wanted criminal of the North in 19th century. It looks to me that P.T. Barnum was a supporter and admirer of president Lincoln, and wanted to capture such historical momentum in his museum, so one day each of us would be able to experience all of it.

Image: www. Lost Museum.cuny.edu / Second Floor / the Waxworks room

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