Annie had a day off from work, and one of her fellow traveling nurses told her that she and her husband were going to go to all of the "tourist attractions" in Houston -- including the Funeral Museum of America. So we decided to give it a whirl...... We had the place to ourselves for the most part (there were people cleaning the exhibits, and some other tourists wandered in as we were leaving. It was very interesting... and I took way too many pictures... I have more if you are interested.
There was a section on Famous people, and this is the program from Robert F. Kennedy's Funeral
There were a variety of hearses, including ones that could have runners put on them in the winter, so that they could go through the snow. Here Annie kind of crawled into a hearse.
This coffin is covered in money == dollar bills and coins.
This coffin was ordered for a family. A couple's little girl had died, and they ordered this coffin, planning to do a murder/suicide and have the whole family buried together. They later changed their minds, and never picked up the coffin.
Funeral attire from the 1800's
A basket coffin! (I may have to send this picture to the Longenberger factory!)
Before I went to Houston I heard a story on WI Public Radio about embalming, and how it became popular in the Civil War and that actually President Lincoln's funeral really brought it into general use... and wasn't there an entire exhibit on embalming and the civil war and even Lincoln's funeral at the museum!
Annie and I pose with King Tut!
Papal Funerals Exhibit
Pope John Paul II with Mother Theresa
Annie didn't know the Pope wears red shoes..
The hammer they use to crush the Pope's ring after he dies. They used to tab his forehead with it too, to make sure he was really dead.
A replica of John Paul's coffin....
And grave. Interesting note: John Paul II is buried in Pope John XXIII's grave - they moved John XXIII upstairs in St. Peter's after he was beatified.
These are coffins!
Spanish funeral traditions
Vanna poses in front of the Pope mobile
The inside of this Japanese hearse is painted with beautiful pictures
After lunch we found a great shopping mall.....
Annie's laundry room
This coffin is covered in money == dollar bills and coins.
This coffin was ordered for a family. A couple's little girl had died, and they ordered this coffin, planning to do a murder/suicide and have the whole family buried together. They later changed their minds, and never picked up the coffin.
Funeral attire from the 1800's
A basket coffin! (I may have to send this picture to the Longenberger factory!)
Before I went to Houston I heard a story on WI Public Radio about embalming, and how it became popular in the Civil War and that actually President Lincoln's funeral really brought it into general use... and wasn't there an entire exhibit on embalming and the civil war and even Lincoln's funeral at the museum!
Annie and I pose with King Tut!
Papal Funerals Exhibit
Pope John Paul II with Mother Theresa
Annie didn't know the Pope wears red shoes..
The hammer they use to crush the Pope's ring after he dies. They used to tab his forehead with it too, to make sure he was really dead.
Not sure why they gave us that tradition but kept so many others.....
A replica of John Paul's coffin....
And grave. Interesting note: John Paul II is buried in Pope John XXIII's grave - they moved John XXIII upstairs in St. Peter's after he was beatified.
These are coffins!
Spanish funeral traditions
Vanna poses in front of the Pope mobile
The inside of this Japanese hearse is painted with beautiful pictures
After lunch we found a great shopping mall.....
Annie's laundry room
Resting on the couch under her Texas blanket!
And so the adventure began...... We said good bye to Mark and the girls....
Stella wanted to come with us!
And hit the open road....
