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There are pictures of me in Los Angeles at the Paul Getty Museum when I was not even a year old and I can tell that trip was the start of my passion for history and museums. I grew up going to museums in NYC, where my mom would fatigue from seeing my favorite exhibits over and over again, a trend that I would set until I went to college when I decided to study history with the intention of working in museums. Studying history in high school felt like an expectation to accept textbooks as fact, but after taking my first college level history class I felt like I was finally learning how to analyze history, using different narratives to challenge widely-accepted perspectives. At CU Boulder, I volunteered with different museums and got to visit several of Denver’s museums…

I grew up watching a lot of classic movies. Especially classic American musicals like Oklahoma!, Seven Brides For Seven Brothers, and, of course, The Unsinkable Molly Brown—one of my personal favorites. When I decided to attend college in Denver, the first place I had to visit was the Molly Brown House. I still remember my first tour here. My mind was blown away at the life of the real Molly…excuse me… Margaret Brown. Even decades after her death, she inspired me. From her social to religious to political work I was blown away at what she accomplished in only 65 years of life. Surely, someone who was so full of life, compassion, courage and who could do so much for Denver, America, and even the world had to be preserved in some way. A heroine of social activism, strong willed…

Between the Lions has been quiet for a little while, but now the interns are taking over!  They will be writing on their experiences here at the Molly Brown House Museum, sharing research on various projects, cool things they find in collections, or an awesome history piece from Margaret’s life! Check back often for an insight into our intern’s minds and lives here at the Molly Brown House Museum!

Ringing in the New Year is a time generally celebrated with laughter and togetherness, dancing, and the generous application of strong liquid refreshment. One may wonder, therefore, if the Prohibition era of 1920-1933 had a negative effect on this tradition of enthusiastic merriment. Luckily, the party-loving youth of the roaring 20’s, known for their excess…

As the Great War came to a close, Margaret would surely have empathized with the lost generation of young people who had experienced the destruction of the world as it had been known up to that point. She had worked diligently with the American Committee for Devastated France helping wounded French and American soldiers to…

For many years, women across this country fought hard for the right to vote.  Women such as Alva Vanderbilt Belmont, Alice Paul, Helen Ring Robinson, Jeannette Rankin  and our very own Margaret Brown became active in this cause. In 1896 Margaret and J.J. Brown attended the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. During this time Margaret’s political views…

In this fast-paced century where many things compete for our attention and time, institutions must listen to outside voices so as to not lose potential relevance and worth – it is time for museums to listen! Fifteen institutions came together to do just that, to listen, and formed the Denver-Area Cultural Evaluation Network (DEN). Led by the Denver Museum of Nature and Science (DMNS), these institutions are listening to those outside voices through evaluation at museums. The group emerged in 2010 when DMNS sought out local professionals who were in charge of evaluation efforts at their museum, but were looking for training and to form a network of colleagues. DEN benefits from the already existing evaluation department at DMNS and collective experiences of all members. It has become a valuable source for professional development for cultural institutions in the area….

Today, June 2nd, the Museum opened a new exhibit titled “A Call to Arms”.  It takes a look at efforts of American women, including Margaret Brown, during World War I both here in the United States and overseas.  Once the United States entered the war in 1917, many more women headed overseas to help with the war effort.  These women worked as nurses, bandage rollers, ambulance drivers, and even as fundraisers for soldiers. While many women are featured in the education space of the exhibit, below are four extraordinary women who gave of their time to assist in the war effort. Dorothy Canfield Fisher During World War I: She went to France with her husband in 1916 and while she was raising two young children, she worked to establish a Braille press for blinded veterans.  She also started a convalescent home for…

Volunteers are the backbone of any museum, especially here at the Molly Brown House Museum.  Without them, we couldn’t do some of the amazing programming we offer here, including our Victorian Eating Experiences (VEE).  These range from our popular Holiday High Teas to Titanic Dinners to Mother’s Day Teas.  Many volunteers help us out with…

It was no secret that Margaret Brown loved France, especially Paris.  By 1903, Margaret was fluent in French; she spent a lot of time visiting there and even had an apartment within the city for a time.    While we know that she spent a lot of time in Paris, at what time of the year is unknown.  With her love of the city, however, she may have been witness to some amazing Christmas traditions which take over Paris. Champs Elysees-Marche de Noël The city of Paris is taken over by twinkling lights, Christmas markets, and children looking for Pére Noël.  When Noël arrives in Paris, the whole city delights in the merrymaking of the season.  Signs that Noël will start to soon arrive starts around December 6th with the Feast of Saint Nicholas.  Noël itself is a celebration of children,…