Souvenir

"For centuries, travel has captured our imaginations. From the pyramids of Egypt to the islands of the South Pacific, we continue to find a special kind of romance and excitement in travel. Returning with the evidence of our journeys, we present our carefully chosen objects as mementoes of our trip, proof of our visits to distant places. Come share this spirit of travel and a passion for collecting through an exhibition of souvenirs and trophies representing the diverse places tourists have visited over the centuries. Curated by students from UVM's Museum Anthropology class, this installation of objects from the Fleming's collection provides a passport into the history of tourism. The familiar becomes exotic through such items as a pair of Turkish slippers, a marble fragment purportedly from the Parthenon, an ornate souvenir spoon from Philadelphia, and a Japanese doll. Collected as emblems of prestige or simply as mantelpiece adornments, these souvenirs reflect the global nature of tourism and its continuous and evolving appeal." (from Robert H. Fleming Museum)

This show, entitled "Tourism: Curious Conquests and Unlikely Trophies" opens on January 16, 2007 and runs through June 10, 2007 at the Robert Hull Fleming Museum at the University of Vermont.

*Photo from Fleming Museum; Carved whale tooth, 19th century; Marble architectural fragment; Photograph album, 1892; Photograph album, 1909; Ichimatsu doll, pre-1940, Japan; Postcard album, ca. 1900-1910; Tiger claw dagger, mid-19th century, India.*