Genesee Country Village & Museum

What comes to mind when you think of Lewis Carroll? For most people it’s probably Alice in Wonderland. But being the nerd I was as a kid, for me it’s his game of symbolic logic. I learned symbolic logic, and the game, for a project in 9th grade geometry. This weekend was “A Novel Weekend: Lewis Carroll” at the Genesee Country Village & Museum, and there were lots of different Alice in Wonderland-themed activities throughout the complex. Some of the visiting children were even in costume to enjoy the event! I had offered to Becky Wehle, the President of GCV&M, that I could create a station to teach the Game of Logic, but I’m glad I didn’t, because I would have been very lonely…

Instead, she hosted a gathering of Middlebury College alumni for a picnic on what turned out to be a beautiful Sunday afternoon. Charlie and I arrived early, so we finally had a chance to visit the John L. Wehle Gallery. I really enjoyed the museum exhibits – the Susan Greene Costume Collection (which was displaying Fashion of the 1850s), Sporting and Wildlife Art, and Working Like a Dog, and I was particularly impressed with all of the interactive offerings. 

a "dog churner" - maybe I should
convert my treadmill to make it
more useful? 

It took quite a bit of restraint to walk away from that puzzle table that I’m sure was meant for kids (ok, I did put a few pieces in…). I could have spent more time in the museum if we weren’t on a schedule; I would have liked to explore each of the drawers in the costume exhibit. The ones I did randomly open made me glad to be in the here and now. Obviously a good deal of care and thoughtfulness has been given to the exhibits - not just to the variety and quality, but also details like the color of the mannequins, which are navy blue. Why? Not just to blend into the background and show off the costumes, but because they don't represent a specific ethnic group. Smart.

Once we reached the Village, we visited some of the buildings we hadn't yet seen on prior trips. Each house’s interpreter was very informative, but also not pushy. The loom in the Humphrey House fascinated me, not in the “oh I wish I could do that” way, but in the “how on earth did anyone ever invent that in the first place?” way. It renewed my awe and thankfulness of specialization of people’s interests and abilities. 

It was fun to meet other Midd grads from the area (one came from Buffalo, but most were from the Rochester area). We even met a young woman who will be matriculating next month (the Midd representative said something like 9000 students applied for 700 or 750 spots – whatever it was, it was much more competitive than in my day!). We had to head home after lunch, so I know I’ll be back at some point, since there are definitely houses there I’ve yet to explore. Perhaps with some of my out-of-town guests this fall!

useful mourning guidelines...