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 International
Museum of Carousel Art good for kids and adults alike
By
Patrick Johnson
For Oregon.com
Even
though it was built in 1917, the Wurlitzer Band Organ still fills
the International Museum of Carousel Art with the sounds of the
circus.
The museum, located in historic downtown Hood River, is the clearinghouse
for all things carousel - and while the gift shop is modest, their
collection of antique and one-of-a-kind carousel animals is something
you absolutely should not miss.
When you enter the museum you can do a self-guided tour, or have
Eldon McCaw, curator, give you a tour. McCaw's tour is filled with
the history of carousels and each exhibit has a story.
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International Museum of Carousel Art
304 Oak Street
Hood River, Oregon
541-387-4622
About the International Museum of Carousel Art:
Started in 1983 as the non-profit Portland Carousel
Museum, the International Museum of Carousel Art
was opened in 1999 in Hood River. The highlight
of the collection is the items on permanent loan
from Duane and Carol Perron. The museum in a non-profit
and has more than 120 items on display with more
than 800 in storage. They are committed to keeping
the tradition and history of all-wood carousel
art alive.
Tips:
Photography is allowed in the museum, so be sure
to bring you camera and flash. Give you self plenty
of time, as the tour is as informative as you
want it to be. Make sure to take the tour from
McCaw, as he has a wealth of information about
the collection.
Season:
The museum is open year round. Winter hours are
11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday and
12 to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Summer hours are 11 a.m.
to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 12 to 4
on Sunday. Admission is $5 adult, $4 for seniors
65 and older, $4 for students ages 11 to 17 and
$2 for children 5 to 16. Children four and under
are free.
Getting
there: Traveling east from Portland/Vancouver
or west from The Dalles/Boise, take Hood River
exit 63. Turn south at the end of the ramp and
you will be on 2nd Street. In just a few blocks
turn right on Oak Street and we are on the right
side at the next corner (3rd Street) in the large
red brick building. Watch for the historic 4-sided
clock on our building.
For further directions, call 541-387-4622
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"We
get anywhere from 8,000 to 10,000 people per year coming in,"
McCaw said. "There is a lot of history about carousels that
people don't know about. It's really fun to tell people about this
art form and show them some of the history."
Even during a weekday, people funnel in and out of the museum, taking
in the old carousel art and reading the plaques that explain who
carved them and where they came from. Ironically the closest operating
carousel to the museum in Vancouver, WA and there is also a carousel
in Salem, Oregon.
But
people from all around want to visit and see some of the antique
animals, from pigs to horses to half-horse half-dragon carvings.
One of the displays, which has never been on a working carousel,
is a lion and tiger from the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey
Circus. The eyes in both of the wooden cats are first of their kind
- using a special gemstone - and they were made in the 1890s. One
of their brother tigers is also on display that was used, and you
can tell the difference in the wear and tear.
"These have been on display for 90 years," McCaw said.
"Many people really like coming just to see these."
The museum has more than 120 carousel animals on display, each with
their own distinct story and history. With the hour tour, you will
learn about the history and how the museum procured the exhibits.
Most of the animals are made from bass wood - McCaw has an uncarved
piece to show visitors how each of the exhibits started.
"Everyone has a piece of bass wood in their house and doesn't
even know it," McCaw said. "It doesn't buckle, sweat or
crack and it stays the same shape. That's why they use it in carousel
horses - and rulers."
The IMCA is a non-profit organization that uses the admission and
donations to keep carousels and their history alive. They are committed
to improving their displays and restore and preserve carousel art
throughout the world and to keep carousels running. Memberships
are also available which also go to help fund the organization.
"There are a number of carousels we operate in California and
New York," McCaw said. "We have over 800 pieces in storage
that are in different states of restoration. So the collection is
growing and we are happy to keep this part of history alive."
The highlight of the collection, however, is the 1917 Wurlitzer
Band Organ, that makes adults and children alike feel like they
have entered another time.
"I turn it on and the kids always want me to turn it on again
after it's done," he said. "The adults do too."
Story
and photos by Patrick Johnson, a free-lance writer based in Canby,
OR.
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