Umbrella Cover Museum
Encyclopedia
The Umbrella Cover Museum in Peaks Island, Maine
, is a museum
that pays tribute to umbrella
covers. The museum was created and is curated by Nancy 3. Hoffman, who has collected more than 600 umbrella covers from over 30 countries.
The mission of the Umbrella Cover Museums states that it is "dedicated to the appreciation of the mundane in everyday life. It is about finding wonder and beauty in the simplest of things, and about knowing that there is always a story behind the cover."
The idea for the museum came when Hoffman was cleaning out a closet and came across seven umbrella covers. The museum began in Hoffman’s kitchen and was moved to a larger location as the collection grew. The museum’s collection ranges in size from a two-and-a-half-inch Barbie doll cover to a six-foot patio umbrella sleeve. It has also hosted special exhibitions including “People and Their Covers” and “New Umbrella Cover Fashions.”
The museum is closed during the winter. Guided tours include Hoffman, who is also a musician, singing Let a Smile Be Your Umbrella
while playing an accordion
.
Peaks Island, Maine
Peaks Island is the most populous island in Casco Bay, Maine. It is part of the city of Portland and is approximately from downtown. The island became a popular summer destination in the late 19th century, when it was known as the Coney Island of Maine, home to hotels, cottages, theaters, and...
, is a museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
that pays tribute to umbrella
Umbrella
An umbrella or parasol is a canopy designed to protect against rain or sunlight. The term parasol usually refers to an item designed to protect from the sun; umbrella refers to a device more suited to protect from rain...
covers. The museum was created and is curated by Nancy 3. Hoffman, who has collected more than 600 umbrella covers from over 30 countries.
The mission of the Umbrella Cover Museums states that it is "dedicated to the appreciation of the mundane in everyday life. It is about finding wonder and beauty in the simplest of things, and about knowing that there is always a story behind the cover."
The idea for the museum came when Hoffman was cleaning out a closet and came across seven umbrella covers. The museum began in Hoffman’s kitchen and was moved to a larger location as the collection grew. The museum’s collection ranges in size from a two-and-a-half-inch Barbie doll cover to a six-foot patio umbrella sleeve. It has also hosted special exhibitions including “People and Their Covers” and “New Umbrella Cover Fashions.”
The museum is closed during the winter. Guided tours include Hoffman, who is also a musician, singing Let a Smile Be Your Umbrella
Let a Smile Be Your Umbrella
"Let a Smile Be Your Umbrella" is a popular song.The music was written by Sammy Fain, the lyrics by Irving Kahal and Francis Wheeler. The song was published in 1927...
while playing an accordion
Accordion
The accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
.