Thanks for the Memories - A Michigan Historical Museum Exhibit

See also:

Thanks for the Memories Kids' Stuff
Your Collections: Resources for Caring for Your Artifacts

The Michigan Historical Museum houses the collective memory of the people who have lived in Michigan. Between June 1999 and August 2000, Thanks for the Memories appeared in the museum's special exhibits gallery as a showcase of representative objects from the museum's collections.

Stuffed Toy Dog The gallery was filled with objects given to the museum by ordinary Michiganians. There were toys, games and other items related to childhood memories plus clothes, dishes, tools, a pump wagon and a scale big enough to weigh your whole family.

Eleanor holds toy dog in 1925 photo Photographed in 1925, Eleanor—of Maple Rapids, Michigan—holds her toy dog. As an adult, Eleanor donated the stuffed dog and other well-loved toys from her childhood to the collections of the Michigan Historical Museum. Visitors saw this favorite toy and many other well-loved objects in the exhibit that presents the following themes. (Click on the thumbnail of a picture to see a larger image. Some pages feature pop-up windows to show the artifacts and their stories.)

Family Heritage — the family of Michigan reflected in objects from its homes
"As long as I can remember" — childhood memories
A Sense of Belonging — organizations and associations that bring us together
The Collectors — from seashells to fine art, private collections that are now part of the museum
Special Times — personal and public events and celebrations
83 Counties — objects made in Michigan or used in Michigan, from every county
Michigan's Memories — what the museum collected in the past and its mission today
Behind the Scenes — collecting and preserving memories at the museum
The Michigan Historical Museum — a brief history