Presentation Menu

A Victorian Lady's Winter Dressing Sequence (60 minutes)

What did Victorian women wear underneath all those beautiful clothes?  What was the most alluring sound created by a woman's wardrobe?  Learn about all the fascinating layers of nineteenth-century clothing by watching a modern Victorian lady dress in all her winter finery.  This is a wonderful opportunity to see a delightful collection of authentic Victorian antique clothing modeled in its true context.

A Victorian Gentleman's Dressing Sequence (70 minutes)

The brightest plumage was sported by the females of Victorian society, but the men's clothing could actually be more complicated than the women's.  Come and learn about the intricacies of Victorian gentlemen's clothing by watching an historian don an authentic nineteenth-century outfit, layer by layer.

Every Girl Looks Good in Summer: A Victorian Lady's Summer Dressing Sequence

Victorian painters loved to portray the "angels of the home" in airy, flowing garments against summer landscapes, but how practical were those voluminous garments?  Actually, more so than you might think!  Come watch a modern Victorian lady dress in the layers of a summer outfit, and learn about the practical elements of all her accoutrements.

A Glimpse Through the Keyhole: Petticoats, pantelets, and a man in his shirtsleeves

Victorian men wore no underpants, and women's undergarments were intentionally split down the middle!  In this fascinating peek into the past, we'll showcase authentic nineteenth-century lingerie, and examine the stereotypes of "constrictive" Victorian underwear.  Come hear about the myths surrounding corsets, and learn what it's really like to live in one from a woman who wears a corset 24/7.

Heads Held High: The intimate relationship between Victorian posture and clothing (60 minutes)

What makes a woman "straight-laced" and what constitutes an "upright" citizen?  Why do costumed actors in movies never look quite like those photos of long ago?  Learn about the intimate intertwining of clothing and lifestyle which affected people's lives in the nineteenth century. 

I Remain Your Affectionate Friend: Victorian Correspondance (60 minutes)

Come learn about the days when calling cards had nothing to do with telephones, and hand-written mail could be a matter of life and death!  This unique presentation includes explanations of nineteenth century communications, and dramatic readings of a historical letter addressed to Narcissa Whitman

Preserving and Maintaining Antique Clothing (60 minutes)

What makes silk shatter, and what's the big deal about "acid-free?"  Hear about the special challenges involved in stabilizing and restoring unique Victorian-era textiles

A Morning of Mourning: Victorian customs for celebrating the departed (60 minutes)

Life was often a tenuous business in the nineteenth century.  The Victorians were fascinated by the possibilities of "shuffling off this mortal coil", and developed a number of intricate customs around the proper ways to celebrate the deceased.  In this presentation, you'll see an authentic antique mourning outfit modeled, and learn about Victorian mourning customs, from the situation in which white was appropriate for a funeral, to the ways in which nineteenth-century mourning shaped modern shopping.

Shaping Up: The Victorian Corset, Myth and Reality

Corsets are fascinating to modern audiences.  This fundamental Victorian garment is bound in controversy.  Untie the facts from the fantasies about this intimate part of nineteenth-century women's lives.

Tiny Time Travelers: A Children's Lesson In Victorian Details

In this fun, interactive lesson, kids learn about everyday items from the past.

Victorian Hippies and Nineteenth-Century New Agers: Fringe Elements of Victorian Society

The Aesthetic Movement and Spiritualism: What were they, and how did their followers fit into the strait-laced Victorian world?  We won't be conducting any seances, but nonetheless, we'll try to get a better picture of free spirits who have passed on.

The Vigorous Life: Victorian Sports and Their Modern-day Legacies

What made the bicycle such a revolutionary invention?   What change in the nature of "the wheel" made women embrace cycling - and what effect did this have on the "New Woman"?  

In other sports: what advice were men given before taking women "surf-bathing"?  Which U.S. President is associated with the early days of football?   And, what the devil was "muscular christianity"?

Enjoy learning the answers to these and other questions about Victorian athleticism in a spirited presentation.  (Don't worry, we won't make you run!)