A Museum with a Sense of Humor-

My return visit to the Merced County Courthouse Museum

One of the displays at the Merced County Courthouse Museum “Beyond Appearance: Portraits of Merced County Women” exhibit shows two mannequins dressed in period costume, and wearing face masks. Photo: Steve Newvine

There’s a lot we can say about the mid-June reopening of the Merced County Courthouse Museum.

Closed for three months due to the COVID crisis, the doors swung open June seventeenth to pick up where the Merced County Historical Society left off.

By the looks of a display of two mannequins dressed in period costume, with the inclusion of modern-day face masks, it’s clear the Museum and the volunteers have a good sense of humor.

County Historian Sarah Lim was permitted to reopen the Museum as part of the public health structure for ushering business and non-profits back into operation.

The Museum was in the middle of the first exhibit of 2020, “Beyond Appearance: Portraits of Merced County Women” when it closed down due to the COVID outbreak. Photo: Steve Newvine

With most of the restrictions lifted, and new health and safety protocols in place, the Museum is getting back to business in pursuing the mission to preserve local history and educate the community on the past.

The women’s exhibit had just launched in the first quarter of 2020 and never really got a chance to be seen by many in the community. That’s all changed now.

This photograph is among dozens from the Museum archive that are on display in the exhibit “Beyond Appearance: Portraits of Merced County Women” underway until September 20. Photo: Steve Newvine.

The Museum is one of those attractions that could be taken for granted. With limited hours of operation, a reliable core of volunteers, and a presence in an iconic building, it might be easy to just pass by without thinking of the on-going work of the Historical Society.

But when access to this community asset was taken away due to the health restrictions brought on by the coronavirus, many may have lost a connection to this repository of local history.

My wife and I took in a tour shortly after reading about the reopening on MercedCountyEvents.com.

The Merced County Women exhibit is thought provoking.

With sections on agriculture, equal rights, and the role of women as consumers, there is a lot to see and read.

I spoke to the membership of the Merced County Historical Society in February. To give that talk today, I would be governed by the rules of social distancing. Photo: Sarah Lim, Merced County Historian

I was the Museum’s keynote speaker for the annual meeting held in early February.

I remember a nearly filled County Board of Supervisors meeting room followed by a potluck style reception.

It’s amazing how a few months living in the COVID era has changed things.

The courtroom exhibit, part of the permanent collection at the Merced County Courthouse Museum. Photo: Steve Newvine

The permanent exhibit continues to impress me.

On the third floor, the courtroom exhibit remains as a long-standing reminder of the importance of our judicial system. The visitor can take a seat and take in the ambience of a real courtroom.

The school exhibit harkens back to the days of one-room schoolhouses. The visitor is taken back to a time when school was in session.

The old time kitchen and housekeeping exhibit brings back memories, or at least recollections my grandparents shared with me when I was a child.

The kitchen display at the Merced County Courthouse Museum. Photo: Steve Newvine

On the main floor, there are many exhibits in the different rooms worth viewing a second time.

My favorite this time around was an old fashioned phone booth in the main hall.
There’s a Superman costume hanging up inside the booth.

Once again, here’s a museum with a sense of humor.

Steve Newvine lives in Merced.

You can reach him at SteveNewvine@sbcglobal.net.

His book Course Corrections is available on Lulu.com

The Merced County Courthouse Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday from 1 pm to 4 pm. COVID restrictions apply. (209) 723-2401, www.mercedmuseum.org