Posted on June 5, 2005 - by deCadmus

A Visit to the Shelburne Museum

Visitors to the Shelburne Museum are greeted by (and routed through) this very impressive round barn… one of maybe two dozen remaining in the state of Vermont. Like most of the buildings on the museum grounds, it was moved here (the upper part of the silo was helicoptered in!)

The steamboat Ticonderoga is the last walking-beam side-wheel passenger steamer in existence. It was built in Shelburne in 1906, and its fittings — carved woodwork, gilded ceilings, paneled saloon and dining room — reveal something of the craftsmanship of the day.

Where there’s a steamship it’s only natural there be a lighthouse, right? This one had been built in Lake Champlain to mark hazardous reefs between Vermont and New York. That teeny boat on the side? That’s how you traveled to and from shore…

The museum grounds feature lots and lots of lilacs… herself says they rival Mackinac Island’s.

A little duck pond dazzles with its interplay of light and water and reflected greenery… almost like a Monet painting. Speaking of which, there are several Monet here, as well as a few Manet, several Degas… all part of the museum’s curious and eclectic collection.

Welcome to the General Store… a stunning recreation of a 19th century community center. This was, in fact, formerly the Shelburne post office. Next door, an apothecary shop that would fulfill most any alchemist’s dreams…

And, should you prefer your antiquity with a little chrome, we chanced upon a classic car event this weekend. Most are concourse-quality restorations… very nice.