Made in Museums - Travels to Curious Museums Sandy DeWald - Museum Nerd & Off-the-Beaten-Path Traveler

Confession:  I am not a car person
I’ve always thought of the automobile as just a mode of transportation.  Nothing fancy, totally practical.  However, the marketing person in me completely understands the emotional appeal cars can have on people.  And the product manager in me can appreciate a good design in any form.  So I was completely surprised after my visit to the Lane Motor Museum when I had this strange desire to just pick up one of the microcars in their collection and take it home.  Maybe it’s my recent fascination with all things tiny (no Game of Thrones for me – I binge watch shows about tiny homes).  Or maybe it’s just the mash-up of something so practical in a package that seems so impractical.  Whatever the reason, their vast collection of microcars is just one reason to visit the Lane Motor Museum in Nashville, Tennessee. 
Home to the largest collection of microcars, and also one of the largest amphibious vehicles – the 60 Ton LARC – the Lane Motor Museum has enough variety to satisfy both the hardcore and casual car enthusiast (and even just the average museum nerd!).  Focused primarily on European cars -- although there are cars from all around the world -- the museum goes beyond the traditional car museum by collecting cars that are odd, unique, or are truly one-of-a-kind.  Most of these cars are models that were never sold in the United States, and most of them are not the type of car you’d find in the typical homeowner’s garage.  Whether it’s a prototype car, a test car, a modified car, a failed innovation, or a product designed for a very specific niche, all of the cars in their collection reflect a specific point in history and a specific cultural influence that drove its development. 
So let’s get started traveling through their amazing collection!
Museum Highlights: 
Lane Motor Museum – starting out with just 80 cars from the founder’s private collection, the building that houses the museum was originally a Sunbeam bread factory.  The original 80 cars have now grown to a total of 545 – with about 150 cars on display at any time -- and the collection now includes scooters, motorcycles, bicycles, a few airplanes and some canoes.  Rumor has it that sometimes on a hot summer day visitors can still smell the faint odor of baking bread.   
Restoration & Care of the Collection – listen to the episode to hear about how they “exercise” the cars, the restoration process, and the challenges of finding parts for foreign cars no longer in production and never sold in the U.S. 
The “Vault” Tour – when you visit, make sure to take the Vault Tour.  This tour goes down into the basement where you see cars not on exhibit.  I love behind-the-scenes tours and this one doesn’t disappoint.  This area includes vehicles in the queue for restoration, ones that are actively being worked on, and some that are just waiting for their moment to be brought upstairs for an exhibit.    
World Flags – don’t forget to look up when you visit.  Hanging from the ceiling throughout the museum are flags from around the world.  Underneath each flag are cars manufactured by that country.  In the U.S. we tend to think of the automobile as only an American invention, but around the world numerous car manufacturers have adapted, modified and developed cars uniquely qualified for their geography, their time in history, or for their specific customers. 
1947 Tatra T-87 Saloon – Tatra was a well-known Czechoslovakian automobile manufacturer.  This sleek, silver Tatra T-87 was the luxury car of its day and was regularly used as the chauffer vehicle of Czechoslovakian military officers.  Notice the big fin on the back?  These cars were very heavy, especially in the back end, so the fin was a design feature that helped with stability. 
1938 Tatra T-97 – look closely at the front of the T-97.  Does that design remind you of any other car?  Ferdinand Porsche

Confession:  I am a secret puppet person (I just didn’t know it)
I certainly didn’t think of myself as a puppet person before I visited the Worlds of Puppetry Museum in Atlanta, Georgia.  But after visiting and talking to Jill Malool, Director of the museum, I realized I’ve been a closet puppet person for years.  Roaming through their amazing collection, I kept seeing puppets that reminded me of various times in my life. 
Of course, there’s the classic Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch from Sesame Street (sorry, Big Bird, Oscar is still my favorite).  And we all know Kermit and the fabulous Miss Piggy from The Muppets.  I then remembered that my sister Vicki and I had Ernie and Cookie Monster hand puppets when we were little that I had totally forgotten about until I was walking through the Jim Henson Collection (strangely, I don’t remember having a Bert). 
I turned the corner and saw Gumby and The Corpse Bride characters showcasing stop motion puppetry.  I remember watching Gumby on Sunday mornings before church.  There are puppets from the Mystery Science Theater 3000 (that show still cracks me up!).  Then I wandered over into the Global Collection and saw marionettes, which reminded me of all the puppet shows I’ve seen growing up. 
At the time I visited was also the opening of the Dark Crystal exhibit.  I hadn’t thought about that movie in years, but seeing the Mystics, Skeksis, Garthim and Jen reminded me of what a fantastic movie that was and how it was all created with puppetry.  
I also saw puppets I had never seen before:  shadow puppets from India, puppets that “walk on water” from Vietnam, and almost life-size puppets from Japan.  And in a variety of materials:  wood, fiberglass, leather, paper, felt.  And I think they have puppets from every country and region in the world:  Italy, Central Europe, Indonesia, Myanmar, Turkey, China, Taiwan, Egypt, Korea, Japan and Mali.  Puppetry can be traced back hundreds, and even thousands of years in some regions.  It didn’t hit me until I stood in the middle of the Global Collection and saw all the creativity around me that The Worlds of Puppetry Museum showcases how cultures around the world and throughout time have expressed themselves through puppetry to tell their stories and share their history. 
So let’s get started in traveling through their amazing collection!
Museum Highlights:
The Worlds of Puppetry Museum – the original museum started out in an old elementary school building, but then has been added on since then.  On the behind-the-scenes tour you get to visit the old classrooms upstairs where they offer puppetry making classes for kids. 
Jim Henson Collection:
Muppet Workshop – when you enter the Jim Henson collection there are a series of workstations with corkboards on the wall covering a specific aspect of how to make a puppet.  Pinned to the board are hand sketches showing how a particular puppet moves, photographs of Jim Henson, little pieces of fur and felt, and some of the most interesting notes about how to make a puppet come to life. 
Big Bird – since his debut in 1969, Big Bird has remained as curious as an inquisitive six-year-old.  So how do you animate a giant puppet like Big Bird?  Listen to how the puppeteer works his mouth, and both wings, while at the same time being able to see where he’s going inside this giant puppet.  Jill, the Director of the museum, shares a wonder story between two generations and how they connect through this yellow bird. 
Oscar the Grouch - my favorite Sesame Street character.   The same puppeteer, Caroll Spinney, made both Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch come alive.  We all know the green Oscar of today, but you can see the original drawings for Oscar that pink was his original color. 
Another fun fact about Oscar’s color from the behind-the-scenes tour?  In the first season on Sesame Street Oscar was actually orange, but the orange color didn’

Confession:  I am not a gamer.
I mean, I’ve played games in arcades.  I’ve played pinball machines in the local Four Thieves bar when I was growing up (don’t worry, it was small town Nebraska and the family-friendly bar was also the only place in town that served food).  We even had an Atari when I was a kid (Space Invaders Rock!), but that pretty much was the peak of my gaming experience.  I flirted with various handheld games over the years – and definitely spent too much time playing Tetris.  However, my recent gaming experiences have been with my nephew at the holidays where he basically challenges me to play video games just so he can see how badly he can beat me. 
I’m definitely a casual gamer, but even I was hooked on the excitement of the lights and sounds of The Pinball Hall of Fame Museum in Las Vegas, Nevada.  Sitting down with Tim Arnold, founder of the museum, allows us to peek behind-the-scenes and experience what it takes to keep this type of museum open.  
This museum is unique for a couple of reasons: 
It features pinball machines from every decade starting in 1933 when pinball machines were a small, countertop game played with marbles to the modern pinball machines known today. You can actually play every single machine in the museum. Set up like an arcade, the 250+ machines on display have been fully restored and you can play every single one of them for either a quarter or fifty cents.  Tim rescues pinball machines and always restores them with the “designer’s intent” in mind.  As Tim puts it, “We've got a strict set of rules here about designer’s intent and also the flavor of the game when we're rebuilding a game. I could make all the old games just as powerful as the new games and make it really thrilling and make the ball go fast, but we don't do that because that was not the designer's intent and it's not the original flavor of the game.”  That craftsmanship and attention to the spirit of the games really highlights the authenticity of every machine in the museum. 
Museum Highlights:
1933 Jigsaw Pinball Game – the “original” pinball game was a countertop game found in bars.   The main board would have metal pins and balls (hence the name “pinball”).  The goal is to shoot the balls into the pockets.  You add up your score and either win definitely adult prizes like a free beer, cigar or money. This game is how the entire pinball industry started.  Who would have thought that this simple game in 1933 would grow into the $80 million industry it is today? 
Bowling Game  – this game used to be in every bar in America.  According to Tim, instead of going home after work and watching your big screen TV, you would go to the bar and play your friends on a bowling machine.
Joker Ball  – the game that every video poker machine in the world is based on.  The original “random number generator” is the rubber balls, which bounce around and determine which cards you get.  They made 200 of these machines in 1959 – only two are still known to exist.  An incredibly rare machine that you can still play at the museum. 
5th Inning Baseball Game  – similar in design to a traditional bowling game, this game is housed in a solid oak cabinet and features baseball instead of bowling.  Listen to the episode to find out about “the one that got away” and how a collector’s ex-wife strong-armed Tim into buying this game.   
SEGA Basketball Game  – one of the very first games produced by the Japanese video game manufacturer was an arcade basketball game wth an actual court and a rubber ball.  Whoever punches their number in first makes the ball go in that direction. 
“Wedge-Head” Pinball Machine Design – a sub-genre of pinball machine design are “wedge-head” machines versus the standard, square head.  The head is shaped like a wedge – wider at the top and tapering down towards the bottom – so you can put them in a row

Confession:  I love product design.
As a product manager, my world revolves around products and how they’re designed.  When I tell people that my day job is a product manager, the usual response is, “What is that?”  I’m not even sure my family completely understands it.  So I usually just tell people “marketing” when asked.  A product manager’s job is to figure out what customers want and then work with the engineering team to develop new products and launch them into the market.  However, there is a huge gulf of understanding (or misunderstanding) between concept, launch, and whether a product is successful.
What is “good” design?  And how does design affect us in our daily lives?  And how can there be a museum about something as subjective as design?  What is the difference between design and art? 
On this episode I sit down with Laura Flusche, Executive Director, of the Museum of Design Atlanta -- which you’ll also hear referenced as MODA.  Located in Atlanta, Georgia, MODA is a museum dedicated to the world of design.  Laura defines design as, “a creative process that inspires change, transforms lives and makes the world a better place.”  I love the idea of exploring the abstract concept of what design is and then the reality of how we interpret and interact with design every day. 
 
Museum Highlights:
Normally, this is where I include images from the museum’s collection, but we’re changing the format this time.  Why the deviation?  Reflecting the fluidity of what design is, MODA is unique in that it doesn’t have a permanent collection, but rotates a different exhibit every 3-4 months.  So the exhibit they had on display when I visited – Craftivism – closed the week after I was there.  The next exhibit Design for Good:  Architecture for Everyone will be on display when this episode airs, but if you’re listening to this in the future, there will be an entirely different exhibit on display then.   In that spirit, below are some images of the museum and a few from the Craftivism exhibit to give you an idea of the space, but when you visit the Craftivism exhibit will be gone and new one in its place. 
Actually this constant change reflects the larger, overarching mission of the museum -- how design impacts the world and inspires change.  That story flows through the museum regardless of the specific exhibit on display.  In this podcast episode you’ll hear Laura share the stories about the impact of many different exhibits – past, present and future – and on how design affects people’s lives. 
The Museum of Design Atlanta gives us a behind-the-scenes look at design, how it affects every person every day, and explores both the functional and aesthetic sides of design.  Transforming the intangible, creative world of design into tangible processes and products is incredibly hard, but is so valuable.  Understanding the thought process behind design allows us to appreciate what is involved in developing a product, and why some products work and some don’t.  The next time you use a product and wonder, “what were they thinking?” – good or bad – well, you’ll have a better answer to that question after listening to this podcast episode and/or visiting MODA.  I am so thankful that I found this museum and was able to share their stories with you. 
If you’re a museum nerd like me, then add this museum to your “must-see” list and tell them, “I heard about you on the Made in Museums podcast.”
If you love to document your travels to off-the-beaten-path places, then show me where you're heading or where you've been by sharing your stories with me at Made in Museums on Facebook,  Twitter, and Instagram.  If you want to let me know about a curious museum that you’ve visited, and that I should cover on this show, contact me through social media or just send me an email.
 
Resources:
Museum of Design Atlanta website
Classes and

Confession:  I have never even tried embroidery.
I’ve done some crocheting when I was younger.  Took up knitting when I was older, but I have never gotten the hang of working with a needle and thread.  The closest was sewing lessons, but all I made was an apron and I was done.  The pinnacle of my needle and thread work is being able to sew a button on a shirt really, really good (I mean, like, that button is never coming off again). 
I have always loved artisan crafts and admire the skill involved in producing a functional work of art by a master.  A friend introduced me to the John C. Campbell Folk School and I love to flip through their catalog of classes each year, but always figured I just don’t have the skills necessary to master any of these.  Recently though, I’ve become intrigued by Temari balls.  I had no idea of their connection to the art of needlecraft until I visited the Embroidery Museum in Louisville, Kentucky when Gwen shared with me how Temari balls were her gateway into the art of embroidery and needlecraft. 
Sitting down the Gwen Nelson, past president of the Embroiderer’s Guild of America (EGA) and Cynthia Welch, EGA Administrator, opened my eyes to the beautiful world of embroidery and needlecraft.   The EGA operates the Embroidery Museum, which is both a museum and the headquarters of EGA.  The museum is small, and when you enter, you feel like you’re walking into a private art gallery.  And after you listen to this episode, I think you’ll agree that the amazing work and creativity by the embroiderer’s in this collection showcase how what started as a functional craft can be transformed into art. 
Museum Highlights:
Doll House – created by multiple members of EGA, this is the pentultimate doll house.  The “tiniest” details are embroidered into the furnishings – from the EGA logo in the chair cushion to the A-B-C sampler on the wall. 
Harold Gordon Band Sampler – featuring one of the “men of EGA” Harold Gordon’s love of embroidery started in 1944, wounded and lying in a hospital bed.  A Red Cross nurse brought in some embroidery for patients to do (maybe to keep them quiet?).  In his later years, while visiting his wife in the hospital everyday, Harold re-awakened his love of embroidery and created this sampler.  Note his 3-ring binder that were filled with this practice stitches.  Since samplers were considered practice pieces, who knew you had to practice before the practice?
Blackwork – a type of running, open stitch where the back should look the same as the front, blackwork is shown in this band sampler (although this is using blue thread).  There is also red work (red thread on white fabric) and white work (white thread on white fabric).  This is just the beginning of the wide variety of stitches and techniques used throughout the years in embroidery. 
Muriel Baker “Stumpwork” – stumpwork is a raised form of embroidery where stitched figures are raised from the surface resulting in a 3-D raised effect.  This piece shows that effect in both the figures of the man and woman in the design. 
Lucy Chase Canvas – dated to 1834, Lucy was 8-years-old when she completed this embroidery canvas.  Lucy’s granddaugheter donated this piece to the museum.  8 years old -- are you kidding me?  The details and shading in this piece is amazing.  What was I doing at 8 years old?  Probably riding my bike, reading, and just generally goofing off.  Certainly not creating works of art. 
Lucy Chase Canvas – dated to 1834, Lucy was 8-years-old when she completed this embroidery canvas.  Lucy’s granddaugheter donated this piece to the museum.  8 years old -- are you kidding me?  The details and shading in this piece is amazing.  What was I doing at 8 years old?  Probably riding my bike, reading, and just generally goofing off.  Certainly not creating works of art. 
Hunting Scene – this silk thread in this 1820 hunting scene fr

Confession:  I love manufacturing.
I work in the manufacturing industry, so when my travels combine both a factory and a museum – sign me up!  Have you ever watched the television show, “How Things Are Made”?  I am completely sucked in when I come across an episode – I’ve even recorded it (check my DVR if you don’t believe me.)  I’ve worked in product development at various manufacturing companies for years and I still love watching how an idea gets turned into a physical product.  Pair that with a museum that covers a niche topic like the history of Braille – something we probably all sort of learned in school, but really don’t know a lot about -- and then showcases incredible individuals that take what everyone thinks of as a life sentence and completely flips it around is a definite must-see on my travel to-do list.   So that’s how I found myself at the Museum for the American Printing House for the Blind  located in Louisville, Kentucky. 
On a beautiful Friday morning, I sat down with Michael Hudson, Director of the Museum for the American Printing House for the Blind.  The organization (also referred to as APH) is a unique combination of both a printing house and a museum with a distinctive focus – preserving and presenting the remarkable contributions of people who are blind, and the history of printing materials for the blind or visually impaired community. 
I’ll admit that my experience with history of Braille is sparse.  I knew Louis Braille developed it, and it was made up of different dot patterns, but really nothing beyond that.  As I talked to Michael, the whole fascinating story of “tactile” writing emerged.  The museum tour is like a 3-in-1 experience: 
First, there is the museum itself, which starts with the history of tactile languages, the development of Braille and the “war of the dots,” in the 19th century and leads up to contemporary examples of people and technology impacting the blind or visually impaired community today. 
Second, is the factory tour of the printing house itself – this is where you’ll see Braille books being printed, tactile graphics being made, and even the original mechanical machines (like the “old Pearl”) that are still used for specialized tasks today.
Third, is a little side trip into the educational materials the APH has created to improve the lives of blind or visually impaired children.  It’s amazing the creativity and dedication of this organization as they continue to develop new products to help kids in the classroom. 
Museum Tour Highlights:
The museum is broken up into two galleries:  the 1883 Gallery, which focuses on the history of the APH and its contributions over the years; and the Callahan Gallery, which focuses on the history and education of blind people.  If you can’t visit the museum in person, you check out a virtual tour on their website. 
Temple Entrance – as you enter the museum, there is a large covered with ancient tactile languages, I never thought about how ancient languages were designed to communicate both by touch and visually – carved into stone or tablets, these languages could be read by the eyes or by the fingers. 
Fire Doors – look closely behind the exhibits as you enter the 1883 Gallery and you’ll see huge fire doors – another nod to the original 1883 factory building.  The doors have a cable attached with a weight at the end and a little metal strip that melts at 200°F.  If there was a fire in the factory, the metal strip would melt and the large metal door slides across shutting off that part of the factory.  I love seeing the old bones of a building providing hidden touches of history.
Valentin Haüy – this is the man that really started it all by creating the first school for the blind and visually impaired in Paris, France.  Michael tells an incredible story of what some blind people had to do to earn a living, which stirred Haüy into deciding