Rhode Island Historical Society Hosts “Museum Mayhem,” Featuring Rarely Seen “Creepy” Collections
For the first time, the Rhode Island Historical Society plans to go deep into their nearly 200 year old archive to curate an evening bubbling with oddities, intrigue, and local history. This specialty event will have something for everybody looking to get into the Halloween spirit. “Museum Mayhem: A Night of Light, Intrigue and Creepy Collections” will be held Friday, October 18th, 6 pm to 8 pm at the John Brown House Museum (52 Power St., Providence).
This evening will exhibit decades of macabre ephemera that are as ominous as they are informative. Guests will view mourning jewelry, traditional keepsakes that incorporated hair of the recently deceased. On display will be a ring containing pieces of George Washington’s iconic white locks under a layer of glass. Also on display are fine examples of the McCrillis doll collection, hidden throughout the exhibit to catch visitors unaware!
Afterwards, depending on weather, attendees are invited to walk the grounds and enjoy an illuminated pumpkin path overlooking one of the best views of Providence’s skyline at night.
“The Rhode Island Historical Society has so many intriguing pieces in its collections,” says Geralyn Ducady, Director of RIHS’s Goff Center for Education and Public Programs. “Museum Mayhem gives us a great opportunity to pull things out that visitors don’t often get to see. We’re excited to showcase rarer objects in a fun, new, different way, especially during the Halloween season. Guests will be surprised and fascinated by what we have in store for them.”
General admission tickets are $10, $5 for RIHS members, and free for those under 18. Please note that the content of this exhibit might be alarming to those under 12 years old. Timed tickets can be purchased at https://tinyurl.com/museum-mayhem2019.
About the Rhode Island Historical Society
Founded in 1822, the RIHS, a Smithsonian Affiliate, is the fourth-oldest historical society in the United States and is Rhode Island’s largest and oldest historical organization. In Providence, the RIHS owns and operates the John Brown House Museum, a designated National Historic Landmark, built in 1788; the Aldrich House, built in 1822 and used for administration and public programs; and the Mary Elizabeth Robinson Research Center, where archival, book and image collections are housed. In Woonsocket, the RIHS manages the Museum of Work and Culture, a community museum examining the industrial history of northern Rhode Island and of the workers and settlers, especially French-Canadians, who made it one of the state’s most distinctive areas.