Planning a Vacation - Izannah Walker Dolls in Museums

Izannah Walker Doll
Courtesy of South County Museum
Naragansett, Rhode Island

My family is planning a summer vacation to the Strong Museum this summer and I am planning to visit the Shelburne Museum in the fall. The Strong Museum has eight Izannah Walker dolls, and The Shelburne Museum has four. Be still my heart!

As I've been researching Izannah Walker dolls, it's interesting to read about how the museums came to be. Both these museums were born from the collections of women. Electra Havemeyer Webb's collection of folk art was the beginning of the Shelburne Museum. Webb's family had always been collectors, but had focused on Asian and European art. Webb began furnishing a small brick farmhouse with items appropriate to the age of the house, and that beginning collection eventually grew to be the Shelburne Museum.

The Strong National Museum of Play was born from Margaret Woodbury Strong's collection of common things from middle class America. The Museum's mission is to be a "museum of play". So if you're looking for a museum that will please the antique doll lover in the family and the children, this is a great museum to visit.

I think it would be great fun to make an trip itinerary based on the museums that own Izannah Walker dolls. But I'm the only female in a household of guys, so that may be a tough sell. Either that or I will take the trip with a friend. ;-)

After the trip to visit the Shelburne Museum and the Strong Museum, I plan to take a trip to Rhode Island to visit the South County Museum. The picture above was sent for posting here by Jim Crothers, the director of South County Museum in Naraganseet, Rhode Island. Thus far, the South County Museum is the only museum to offer pictures of their Izannah Walker dolls on this blog for Izannah Walker lovers. South County's generosity is much appreciated. If you're within driving distance, go visit the South County Museum this summer!