On Monday, Billy surprised Wyatt and I by taking a vacation day! We considered going to Greenfield Village but it was cold and then started to rain so we switched plans and went to the museum instead. Greenfield Village and The Henry Ford Museum are two parts of the same museum and we haven’t been to the actual museum in quite a long time. It was definitely time to go back. And they have a special exhibit right now, the Heroes and Villains: The Art of the Disney Costume exhibit!
We loved it. These costumes designers are so talented, with billowing dresses, perfectly tailored suits, and all the various whimsical fairy tale touches.
Billy and I couldn’t believe how tiny these actors and actresses must be to fit these wee little outfits!
We all had favorites:
Ok so I had two favorites. The costume that Julie Andrews wore as Mary Poppins, and Keira Knightley’s Sugar Plum Fairy gown. Wyatt loved the Captain Jack Sparrow costume, and Billy loved Angelina Jolie’s Maleficent dress.
After goggling over the costumes we moved on to the rest of the museum.
One of my favorite permanent exhibits is the Your Place in Time exhibit. It takes you through the different generations and highlights the different technologies and pop culture of the day. The 80s bedroom was so me. I even listened to Depeche Mode and had a moody James Dean poster. Wyatt is such a music kid – he enjoyed listening to the music of the 50s and 60s, especially The Beatles. And while I might be a Gen Xer, I think it would be really cool to live in the hippie geodesic dome. (not to be confused with the Buckminister Fuller Dymaxion House that is there which is also super cool)
I always have to go visit the William Hopson sign too. His story is so crazy, and romantic to me. Lol. He was also a bit of a looker. He has a page on the Smithsonian site as well – he was a well known and beloved pilot in his day.
Billy and Wyatt were more excited about the trains and cars – and there are so so many. Seriously. I did take this photo of the stagecoach trailer that belonged to the Lindberghs. Anne wrote her novel The Steep Ascent in it!
And in case you have wondered where certain items from history end up, check museums. They are probably there. The Henry Ford has a sort of macabre collection of items within its walls – including the car Kennedy was in that fateful day in Dallas, and also the car Reagan was in the day he was shot as well. It is strange and eerie and sad to view the Kennedy car; I wasn’t alive at the time but I have seen the footage numerous times and can picture Jackie trying to climb out the back very clearly, and it brings that day to life for me, as learning about history should, even the sad and tragic moments. The Henry Ford also has the chair Lincoln was assassinated in, and Edison’s last breath. We didn’t do the whole museum this time but we will go back. We use our membership pretty heavily, and my favorite thing about a membership is that you don’t feel you need to get everything done in one day.
And on that note, we were ready to head home, one of us with a little souvenir.
Still Life, With Cracker Crumbs.. 
Oh man, that Disney exhibit is so cool!! I hear ya on the tiny costumes – we saw a Marvel exhibit a couple years ago and I was even surprised by how small the superhero costumes looked!
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It’s crazy how little! 😂
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You guys get to visit some really cool museums, don’t you? I love that stagecoach trailer of the Lindbergh’s. Would love to see the inside of it.
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We have been lately lol! I know I wanted to see inside of it as well. There is a vintage RV tour that comes around, the Tin Can Tourists and I love going to that event!
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Don’t mock me but I’ve never been there! This is fabulous — I’d love that Disney exhibit but there’s so much there I suspect I’d be loving it all!
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Oh I think you would definitely like it!! But.. I think you would love the Henry Ford Estate, if you have never been there! I recommend both! If you are ever down and interested in meeting at the museum let me know!
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Ohhh that Lindbergh stagecoach trailer!!!!!
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I know!! I love it ❤️
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OK…is Wyatt’s souvenir one of those plastic mold things? You put your money in and watch it being made? If so, I mean I highly doubt it, but I wonder if it’s the same one I used when I was a kid. We went to the Henry Ford Museum a lot because it was relatively close to where I grew up (near Ft. Wayne, IN) and must have been fairly inexpensive because there were six of us! My dad loved museums so I think that’s where I get it from!
I love the Disney costumes! My son and I usually make a trek to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, and I’m always amazed at how small the costumes are there, too. It almost makes me wonder if they don’t pin them to take up less space? Oh, now, I really want to go there.
Thank you so much for sharing these times with us, Erin! You always put a smile on my face and make me remember my childhood! My grandparents lived in Sherwood, MI, and I have cousins who live in Colon so Michigan has always had a big place in my heart!
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
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It totally is! Lol. They have a bunch of different plastic mold machines scattered around the museum. Wyatt is amassing quite a collection.
My stepfather (who passed away three years ago) was born and raised in the Fort Wayne IN area. : )
Maybe? That would make me feel better! I mean can they legit be that thin? I mean I guess they could.
Aww that makes me so happy!! Thank you!
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It looks like you had an amazing day. I’m fairly certain I have some Depeche Mode albums in my attic, I definitely have Spandau Ballet and Duran Duran ones up there!
I think the Mary Poppins outfit would be my favourite too – I love watching the film, bad cockney accents and all.
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That looks like such a fun museum! Our museums in our metro area aren’t anywhere near as interesting. We have to drive to Chicago for the really good ones – 6 hours away.
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OMG I NEED to go there!! Mary Poppins definitely.
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Yes! I was so excited!
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