Summary: The Victorian House Museum's Holidays at the Mansion offers a magical look at Christmas past, plus a special collection in the third floor ballroom just for guests who appreciate a little clowning around.
Story: The busy little Christmas elves have been at it again, sneaking into Millersburg's Victorian House Museum to create a delightful display for this year's Holidays at the Mansion, a family-friendly seasonal activity that kids from one to 92 (and beyond) are sure to enjoy.
This year, each of the 28 rooms of the beautiful Victorian House Museum, located just north of downtown Millersburg, have been festively festooned by volunteers from local businesses and organizations, from the first floor's stately dining and music rooms to the quaint maid's quarters and stylish ballroom on the third floor. The ballroom, in fact, hosts a very special display, a collection of nearly 300 Christmas clowns dotting a giant tree and perched throughout the room, all on loan from Jim Nusbaum of Glenmont, who agreed to share his treasures with Victorian House guests after Mark Boley, director of the Holmes County Historical Society, saw them several years ago.
"He has been begging me for years to put them up at the Victorian House," Nusbaum laughed, "And I finally decided that the only way I could stop the begging was to say yes."
Nusbaum began collecting clowns in 1984 as an extension of his own clown ministry of visiting hospitals and preschools. One Christmas, he placed a few clowns on his holiday tree. Friends noticed and started gifting him clowns. Every birthday and holiday found him with a few more until, before long, his collection grew large enough to decorate an entire tree with nearly 200 of the happy little creatures, including pieces from Germany, Poland, Mexico, China and the U.S., crafted from a variety of materials, from glass and wood to resin and fabric. Every one of them, Nusbaum says, has its own special story of where it came from, why he bought it, or who presented it to him. One little clown, for example, a floppy, doll-like fellow, perched on a branch, was made for a friend when she was a child, nearly 70 years ago. She thought it belonged in Nusbaum's collection.
"It means a lot to me because she she wanted to part with it and let it be on my tree," Nusbaum said.
In addition to the clown display, director Mark Boley said there are many new things to see in the Victorian House Museum this year.
"We have a few new decorators and some of the others have done different rooms, giving the whole place a fresh look," Boley said.
Guests to the Victorian House this Holiday season can also choose to combine their visit with a tour of the brand new Millersburg Glass Museum next door, part of the Holmes County Cultural Center Complex. The Millersburg Glass Museum boasts a beautiful new location to share the glassworks' and showcase more than 375 pieces, arranged in chronological order according to their creation. Tickets to the Victorian House by itself are $8 for adults, $7 for senior citizens, and $3 for students 12-18, while combination tickets, which include admission to both the Victorian House and the Millersburg Glass Museum, are just $10 for adults, $9 for senior citizens, and $5 for students. Children under 12 are always free.
The Victorian House Museum will open seven days a week, excluding Thanksgiving and Christmas, from Nov. 17 until Dec. 31. Holidays at the Mansion hours are 1 pm to 4 pm Monday through Thursday and 1 pm to 8 pm Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
For more information, visit http://victorianhouse.org or call 330-674-0022.
