About this blog . . .

This blog is about 80% journal, 20% review. These posts may describe very recent visits or visits taking place in the last 3 or 4 years--please feel free to update or correct any of my information in the comments or through an email message.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Levine Museum of the New South, Charlotte

The "New South" in the museum's title reflects the economic and social gains of the South in the 20th century.  As Edward Rothstein points out in his review of the Levine Museum in the New York Times,
It is unlikely that anything resembling the impressive Levine Museum of the New South would exist anywhere else. A museum of the New North or the New East would be merely peculiar, but here the term “New South” has a venerable heritage, recalling unrealized hopes and great expectations. There is also much at stake in trying to understand just what the term really means.
 This museum followed a trend throughout the South of looking into and even confronting the past of the "Old South."  The museum is divided into two main levels.  On the lower level, visitors experience a history museum with the theme of progress.  Agricultural exhibits on farm equipment and life as a tenant farmer show how far behind the Old South was in industry and economic power in the post Civil War-early 20th century era.  An exhibit on racist groups provides a fairly honest look at the Councils and Klans--costumes and other artifacts are displayed.  (In one interesting approach to displaying disturbing material, the museum covered a photograph of a lynching scene and offered a warning to visitors about the material.)

Other civil-rights era exhibits include the infamous Greensboro Lunch counter and a replica of a school bus used for integration.  Television monitors in this area replay key news broadcasts from the era, awakening memories for those who lived through the events and making it more immediate for younger viewers.

Much of the museum also focuses on agriculture, industry, and economy in the South.  A brief film near the entrance narrates the progression from farming to industries (primarily textiles) to banking (although the film may need updating in light of the recent financial crisis).  My own family found the replica of milltown housing---an integral element in the textile industry's economy-- fascinating.  My husband and son played a game of bottlecap checkers there, and my daughter explored the kitchen cabinets and the wood stove.  My own interest reflected something more personal; my mother spent her earliest years in a house and a kitchen much like this one, in a small town in North Carolina in the 1930s.

  At the top level, the museum transforms from a historical/cultural experience to a tolerance museum.  These are interactive exhibits, offering visitors the chance to try on different clothes, respond to situations, and question their assumptions about other people.  One exhibit, for example, displayed pictures of individuals who might be easily stereotyped, then invited viewers to open a panel to reveal surprising or unexpected information about each person.

Rothstein mentioned that, until recent budget cuts, a Levine field trip had been a required part of  North Carolina's 8th grade curriculum.  I'll have to say that I hope those funds are restored soon; the museum offers a thoughtful, well-organized educational experience for all visitors, but it would seem particularly appropriate for upper-elementary and middle school students who are ready for this material and who need to move beyond a textbook to appreciate it fully.


Information from website:

Admission
Adults $6.00
Seniors (62+) and Students $5.00
Children (6-18) $5.00
Family $17.00
Under 6 free
Groups* $4.00
*10 or more, with advance reservation


Hours
Monday - Saturday:  10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Sunday:  12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Closed Easter Sunday, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.

Parking
On weekdays, Levine Museum provides visitors 2 hours of validation for parking in Seventh Street Station parking deck, which is located next to the museum. After 2 hours, regular parking fees apply.
On weekends and for evening events, the museum provides parking validation, with no hourly limit.
Visitors should present parking ticket for validation at the Guest Services desk upon arrival.

Saturday, September 4, 2010

Scott Joplin House State Historic Park

The Scott Joplin House  seems to be a museum in progress.  Joplin lived here for only a few years, early in his first marriage.  The museum is working on furnishing and decorating with period household goods.  The exhibit on the main floor, in fact, explains that few of Joplin's belongings are available, and describes how they are trying to locate and refurbish items that accurately reflect the era--according to the website, 1902.  Copies of Joplin's sheet music and other memorabilia decorate the walls.

The museum experience begins with a film on Joplin's life, which we found informative--if a bit too long.  A guide escorts visitors upstairs, where they can see a re-creation of the bedrooms.  One room holds a period piano.  Back downstairs, the guide takes requests for the player piano.

I would like to visit this museum again in 5 or 6 years, just because I think there is a potential there for much more, and it hasn't quite been achieved yet.  The introductory video, for example, could be edited to cut about 10 minutes.  The guides, while friendly and informative, could be more helpful with a little more background knowledge about the music.  Also, according to one of the brochures available, the museum is associated with The Rosebud Cafe, a performance venue for Joplin's works, including his opera Treemonisha.  I'm hoping that soon the connection will be made more explicit, and visitors will be offered more assistance in combining the museum with the performance.


Update, 30 March 11--The museum has updated its website, and has a new video with a tour preview and information about the Rosebud Cafe, which is available to rent for performances or events.





Info from website:

2658A Delmar
St. Louis, MO 63103
314-340-5790

Hours:

Summer Hours (On-Season)
  • March through October - 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Saturday (closed Sunday)
Winter Hours (Off-Season)
  • November through January - Closed
  • February - 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday (closed Sunday and Monday)
Tours are offered every hour.

Tour Prices:

Adults: $4.00
Children 6-12: $2.50
Under 6: Free

Group Rates (15 or more; reserve 1 week in advance @ 314-340-5790):  
Adults:  $3.00
Children 6-12: $1.50