The Umbrella Cover Museum / Maine

Submitted by compliance9 July 29th, 2010
Certifikitsch WinnerClassique d Camembert

When (casually) passing through Peak’s Island, Maine visit the Umbrella Cover Museum. From the website: “ The Umbrella Cover Museum 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.” Actually, it’s a museum full of umbrella covers. You know… that sleeve that covers your umbrella. Yes… that one.

Rumor has it that private tours are given by curator, director, and author Nancy 3. Here she is posing with her new book:

(image from www.umbrellacovermuseum.org)

And here’s a photo of a bubble gum wrapper umbrella cover, currently featured in the “virtual tour” extension of the museum:

(image from www.umbrellacovermuseum.org)

4 Responses to “The Umbrella Cover Museum / Maine”

  1. Allee Willis

    Although the virtual tour of what I hope is the expansive Umbrella Cover Museum only includes two sheaths the possibilities of this are so completely fantastic I can’t breathe.

    As a collector I totally respect anyone for having ANY kind of collection but once the object of affection gets this obscure I really get fascinated. It’s the folks who will focus in on something that is so teeny tiny small and specific it wouldn’t dawn on 99.9% of the population that the immortalized objects were even worth saving let alone be honored. Collecting umbrella covers is WAY UP THERE by these standards.

    I do wish there was a little more to her site as I’d love to see more, more, MORE of these things. The fact that she has a book out means they are lurking within.

    A special shout out to her post-it titles on the wall.

    I can’t wait for her gift shop to open though I suspect ‚Äúcoming soon‚Äù will be alive and well on her site for a long time.

  2. Planet Joan

    This is GREAT! I love that this exists. I think I want to visit this place.

  3. StoryTroy

    What I find so intriguing is the fact that there are handmade, non-factory umbrella covers represented. It’s one thing to collect something, another to find unique, handmade objects that you can’t imagine anyone taking the time to construct with such intensity of labor (like the bubble gum wrapper umbrella cover).