Why Toys? Help The International Cryptozoology Museum Preserve Cryptozoology’s Cultural History
Posted by: Loren Coleman on January 17th, 2013
Visitors, like you, to Portland, Maine’s International Cryptozoology Museum expect to find Native (indigenous) art. You will when you visit.
But why, too, are seemingly modern “toys” here?
Our 100 years assembly includes Western + Eastern cultural examples of cryptids; some people have called them “toys.”
Before we existed, when they were old and used, such items were discarded and unstudied.
One of the Museum missions is to preserve the significant short-term items reflecting local cryptids, whether of Kappas, Bigfoot, Yeti, Nessie, Chupacabras, or lesser-known cryptids, creatures, and monsters, if you will.
Such items may have been produced for only one event or for a few years as tourist souvenirs.
They are hardly “toys” to cryptozoologists, but are moments in cryptozoology history saved from tomorrow’s dumpsters.
International Cryptozoology Museum’s holdings today make for a unique, one-of-a-kind, rare collection. If you want background on any item, you may ask the docent, director, or assistant director who will greet you when you enter.
Please remember, we are a relatively new museum, ten years old, only became a nonprofit in 2011, and still in need of growth. We have received major recognition and awards for our museum is acknowledged as well-organized and helpfully-curated. We want to do more, needless to say.
With donations for new display cases and a larger space in our near future, we shall be individually displaying and labeling all items separately in the next phase of the museum’s development. Needless to say, that takes time. Your patience, critiques, praise, and donations (of artifacts or funding) to achieve this goal are appreciated. Thank you.
Simply click on the following button to give $5, $10, $50, $100, whatever you can send…
You may directly send a check or money order if in the USA, or, if outside the USA, an international postal money order written to:
Loren Coleman, Director
11 Avon Street
Portland, ME 04101
USA
Please send vintage artifacts, cryptid items, “cryptozoology toys,” other donations, and funding to the International Cryptozoology Museum, 11 Avon Street, Portland, Maine 04101.
This post was written by
Loren Coleman no longer writes for Cryptomundo. His archived posts remain here at Cryptomundo.
