But, of all the historic sights I experienced in Virginia the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum in Colonial Williamsburg probably impressed me the most. And since we visited several Smithsonian museums while we were up in founding father territory, I think that’s saying something.
Interestingly enough, the DeWitt Wallace museum is located underground adjacent to a recreation of the first American institution devoted solely to treating the mentally ill. Before following the stairway down to the museum’s galleries, touring an exhibit showing what life was like for mental patients in 1773 was an eye-opening experience. Solitary “cells” with straw beds, inhumane contraptions used to confine patients and blood letting were all common treatments of the day.
Once you’ve made your way down past the museum store, where you can purchase everything from reproductions of Colonial ceramics to replica period clothing, entering the expertly curated museum proved to be a delightful experience.
Some of the exhibits were simply fascinating. For starters, take the “Robert and Meredith Green Collection of Silver Nutmeg Graters,” which included English and American examples from the late 1600s and forward.
Visiting a tavern in Colonial times meant drinking punch, a fruity concoction laced with liquor in which nutmeg figured prominently in the recipe. The silver graters used to prepare this popular drink ranged from simple and functional to highly ornate. The gallery of nutmeg graters included more than 100 pieces, including fanciful examples shaped like barrels, acorns, urns, and even nutmegs.
Another fine exhibit, “Treasure Quest: Great Silver Collections from Colonial Williamsburg,” featured hundreds of silver pieces donated to Colonial Williamsburg by major silver collectors. From early English silver plate to fine sterling objects so ornate you can scarcely imagine using them in a home, this display definitely covered the bases.
Even the array of tiny pierced teaspoons was extensive. These were used to remove bits of tealeaves and stems from one’s cup before the beverage was consumed. For me, it’s seeing forgotten elements of daily life like these that makes a museum visit so interesting.
But my favorite exhibit, and the one I couldn’t wait to discover as we wound our way through the wings of the museum, had to be “The Language of Clothing.” This display of Colonial Williamsburg’s divine collection of antique garments featured those ranging from one of a kind court gowns to maternity wear.
The court clothing included selections for both men and women, with the masculine jackets and britches often more ornately frilled than the feminine dresses that accompanied them. Many of the displays also included matching accessories such as fans, purses and footwear.
The sole maternity dress on display turned out to be a layered contraption consisting of a skirt and jacket fashioned of a heavy quilt-type fabric and adjustable lace-up undergarment. It not only looked extremely uncomfortable, but quite warm as well.
Beyond being interesting from a purely aesthetic perspective, the clothing exhibit was grouped around the themes of changing style, consumerism, the definition of beauty, formal dress and the retention of out-dated styles. In fact, several of the frocks on display originally fashioned during the Colonial era had been updated for later use moving into the Civil War years.
If you’re planning a visit to the Colonial Williamsburg area, this museum is a must-see for anyone who appreciates old things and their historical value. All the exhibits mentioned here are ongoing with the exception of the clothing display, which runs through February 2004.
