Themes in American History

The Lost Museum, a digital recollection of the past, enables the audience to browse history with only a few clicks and drags. The experience allows the audience to click and search with past advertisements of recreations and events of the time, to really understand and be apart of the world of the past. The site does a good job of grabbing the attention of the users by stimulating this mysterious question of “who burned the museum” which entices the audience by setting an overall theme to the entire experience of visit. In my opinion, the museum is certainly an applicable method of pertaining to today’s internet era by creating this online museum. The weakness however derives from the lack of graphics with numerous cliches and outdated maneuvers. The archives is the actual beauty of the entire website because of the massive collection of historical artifacts and documents. The museum’s virtual tour allows the audience to get a good sense of the past by portraying a cultural aspect with pictures and artifacts of events that happened inside and out of the museum.
The 3-D attraction lacks in it of itself because it pretty much was 2-D, but the content of it all seemed to educate the audience through the idea of curiosity and amusement. The museum needs a little bit of more organizing because it seems to be a bit confusing and scattered but all in all was a amusing experience with new things learned and understood. One thing that interested me was the ad of the Baby Show that went on during the events of the museum. What lacked was the in-depth explanation of what really went on during the Baby Shows.

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The Lost Museum ,based of my first glance on the website, seemed like chaotic yet fun way to spend a day back in the 19th century. By going on this website you can tell what kind of spectacles people back in the 19th century did that was considered as their entertainment. Somethings ranging from having wax figurines of caged women all the way to hosting BABY SHOWS! These are some things that if were done today would probably be considered illegal and/or taboos! Some other things they showcased in the museum was the worlds tallest person at 8 feet tall.  And also showcased Joice Heth as an African American slave who was 161 years old as she claimed she was a nursemaid to George Washington. But when she died it was made clear she was no older than 80 years old. Regardless, The Lost Museum can be considered as a mix of today’s Ripley’s Believe it or Not and even The Guinness Book of World Records based of the items they showcased for entertainment.

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Barnum’s museum served an important function by allowing the middle class to develop a sense of their own daily life in contrast to that of the “freak”, keeping New York gazing in wonder for decades. Under the disguise of entertainment and education the Barnum Museum became the foremost house of spectacle of popular culture in the 19^th century. Barnum’s combination of the freak show along with educational displays such as animals and a aquarium (which unfortunately couldn’t see because it was closed L ) and morality plays (located on the third floor which also showed tips about etiquette and fire prevention/solution) ensured success for his museum because it created a spectacular space in which entertainment, wonder, and education appeared together in one place. Unfortunately not everything looks as good as it sounds. Some people were complaining about the conditions in which the animals were living in describing how cruel it was. The complaint letter stated that the animals did not have any ventilation and that was also very dangerous to the visitors if a fire may occur.

Looking around the Lost Museum’s website I found a picture of a white lady with afro hair. I clicked in the archive’s link and found out something really interesting. That woman in the picture was Zalumma Agra, one of Barnum’s Circassian Beauties. Many Circassian women, prized for their beauty, were sold into slavery. The primary requirement for women who played Circassians was that they be attractive and it seems, according to the website, that Zalumma was not really a circassian woman because her English was fluent and she didn’t know almost anything about that place. So it could have been any local girl with just teased hair paid to pose as a “harem refugee”. However, what it was most intriguing to me was that these women were looked as “examples of racial purity”.

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Lost Museum isn’t only a simple website which allows users to get an idea about New York during 19th Century. There is a very interesting story about “Lost museum” which explains what the purpose to navigate on line exhibitions is. In 1865 there was a fire which burned P.T Barnum’s American Museum.  The Lost Museum is sort of replication of that place and gives an opportunity to discover who is responsible for the fire. Unfortunately I couldn’t figure out who commit the crime but I found many interesting pieces of art which gave me a great overview of cultural history in New York City.

On the ground floor I found a poster which announces Baby Show Contest. According to the website the poster is a composite of text and images from primary sources, which provides with great details about this popular culture. This simple ad, points of the importance of family life and role of motherhood in those days. Also the idea of having a baby contest proves that people from 19^th century wanted to be entertained and the social life was very important to them. They didn’t worry about their privacy and they were ready to share their private life with no doubts. I won’t judge them because it reminds me a little bit of today’s Facebook but instead of publishing pictures on line, New Yorkers presented their babies during social events. Because mothers had to explain how they feed and take care of the baby so children had to be treated very well. But those were perceived as controversial, depending on contestants’ motivations. Probably some of they were introducing their babies to the public just to improve and entertain their simple domestic  life.  I believe that they were also individuals who were motivated by the awards, in this case money, which presents lack of morals and great desire to generate the profit. Besides the money the winner parent also gain prestige and respect in the society. It seems a little bit like “using a babies” for entrainment. In addition, according to the website, children who were looking foreign or poor in appearance couldn’t participate, which introduces discrimination and racism.

The 19^th century was very interesting time for American popular culture. People were seeking new attractions and entertainments which already suggest that New York population will be known from their unconventional ideas.

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