Seven museums in two days for just $25!
Museums have been an integral part of cultural preservation for quite some time. In fact, the first known museum was devoted to Mesopotamian antiquities and dates back to 530 BCE and is located in modern-day Iraq. This is obviously a debated point of view, but a historical argument is beyond the scope of today’s article.
Museums provide a powerful way to protect our arts, anthropology, natural and technological sciences, animals, aquatic and plant life, and just about any of earth’s achievements, natural and of humankind. There are more than 55,000 museums spread across 202 countries on our planet. In fact, there are more museums than both Starbucks and McDonald’s in the United States.
Museums are one of our true treasures and hopefully act as a way to learn from our past and better our world for the continuation of humanity. The concept of a museum is incredibly important to what defines our existence and the ethos that reaches beyond our everyday needs. This is something more and should be cherished.
On Thursday and Friday, Chattanooga will celebrate the third annual Museum Hop. Seven of our wonderful museums will be available for Museum Hop ticket holders. An individual ticket is $25 or $50 for a family of four. And even better, the first 100 people will get a t-shirt with their ticket.
Use this opportunity to explore some educational opportunities for you and your family. The International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum, the Coker Car Museum, the Charles H. Coolidge Medal of Honor Heritage Center, the Songbirds Guitar Museum, the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum, the 6th Cavalry Museum, and the Houston Museum of Decorative Arts will all be available for exploration from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both days.
If you know your history, then you would know where you are coming from. Amy Autenreith, the manager of the Houston Museum of Decorative Arts, shares the Bob Marley lyrics as we discuss the importance of museums in our society.
“We are the keepers of art and history,” she goes on with a powerful cadence built around her love and involvement with these institutions. “We have visitors from all over the country and the world, but we don’t see a lot of locals visiting our museums. What stands in the way for locals?”
How often do we visit these organizations in our own hometown? It isn’t something I had considered, but it does seem to be true. Museums seem to be a vacation activity, yet so much history is right here at our fingertips, and it is a shame to pass up the opportunity. Museum Hop is a wonderful way to end that trend and spend some time supporting our local arts and history community.
“All of these museums have education and outreach programs. The history here is astounding. We use this opportunity to dispel some old myths about museums. We aren’t dusty old places. You may find a new interest and learn something about yourself.”
Explore giant locomotives, Ford Model T’s, a rare vintage guitar collection, a priceless Victorian glass collection, the history of the Civil War, an amazing private car and motorcycle collection, and the history of the Towing and Recovery industry. And that’s just the start.
Visit eventbrite.com and search for Musuem Hop to buy your tickets. If you have trouble online, call any of the participating museums for help. Passports will be provided. Each museum will stamp your passport, so be sure to visit all seven to complete your trip around Chattanooga.