WHEN A MUSEUM BECOMES A MUSEUM OF ITSELF




Faithful to its original mission as a free natural history museum open to the public, The Wagner Free Institute of Science of Philadelphia is an example of a museum which has outlived its original purpose as a museum, and has now become a relic in itself, worthy of being surrounded by a larger museum and put on permanent display. A "remuseum", if you like.



The huge banks of oak and glass exhibition cases installed in 1891 are still intact, and even retain the original curator's handwritten labels. Over 100,000 species are on display--the cases seem to go on forever. For lovers of this sort of aesthetic, it's absolute heaven. The first skull of a saber tooth tiger ever found rests among the fossils; in fact, many such "type specimens" are found here.

In classic Victorian fashion, the species of creatures are displayed systematically, in order of complexity, simplest being the first (sponges, etc). Crystals and fossils are also found in the exhibition hall, along the far end. The arched ceiling and skylights are being refurbished at the moment--the flat corrugated metal canopy is only temporary, as is the florescent lighting. Natural lighting will be restored soon enough.



The museum also boasts a Victorian research library as well as a grand lecture hall, which is still used today.

More photos:



I thought this one label particularly funny. Damned wastrel cephalopod sodomites.



We noticed the size of the specimens, which gave us some pause. In general they were larger and more robust than any alive today--shells, turtles, etc.




This bluebottle jelly had dried in place.



Photography is banned from the exhibition hall, but I disobeyed this policy out of principle. I think this policy works against the museum's benefit, if not its purpose. I can see why flash photography might be banned, but other than the website the museum lacks any means by which to promote itself--oh wait, yes: they have a postcard for sale. One postcard.

Museums die from such neglect; there's no reason why The Wagner cannot thrive on its own terms, like the Mutter has. I would never disobey the Mutter's no-photo policy, because it enjoys such a high profile. Like the Mutter, the Wagner should be one of those "must see" destinations when people visit Philadelphia, as it is an absolute treasure. If this post raises attendance even slightly, I'll feel that my scofflaw ways were justified in this case.

That said, it was nice to have the place entirely to ourselves. Obscurity has its rewards.

~W