What do a President’s rider-less horse saddle, Rosa Park’s quiet act of defiance, and Abraham Lincoln’s casket have in common? That’s what students, local residents and funeral professionals will soon discover from an exhibit featuring a collection of funeral objects and historical depiction of funeral customs in a traveling museum
. “Reflections is a moving, insightful, and educational museum because it enlightens us about historical traditions of honoring loved ones,” says Lisa Spry, Owner of Murfreesboro Funeral Home. “We’re very pleased to host this museum-on-wheels.”
. Reflections: The American Funeral examines funeral traditions and their role in helping the living achieve closure. Spread out across 1,000 sq. ft., thoughtful display areas reveal how we mourn the dead. Of special note is the Lincoln exhibit, featuring a reproduction of Lincoln’s casket and tracing the near 3-week funeral procession. Scholars cite Lincoln’s 1865 funeral as the birth of today’s modern funeral service. Other moving exhibits include “Arlington National Cemetery,” which honors our country’s veterans and the more than three million Americans buried in our national cemeteries. “Glory, Glory Hallelujah” showcases President John F. Kennedy’s rider-less horse – empty boots reversed in the saddle – trotting briskly in his funeral procession and Rosa Parks, who was the first woman to lie in state at the Capitol Rotunda
. “The display artifacts, remarkable graphics and narrative, photography and video footage all combine to tell a historical story on how we mourn and memorialize our loved ones. It will be an enlightening experience all our visitors will remember for years,” says Lisa Spry
. From the cross-country funeral procession for Abraham Lincoln to the national outpouring of grief for Elvis Presley, America has a rich history of mourning the dead. Reflections: The American Funeral explores these traditions, beginning with Native American burial mounds and ending with the diverse rituals practiced across the country today. Produced by Michigan-based MRA, it’s earning high praise from everyone who experiences it. “Awesome!” “Great educational tool!” “Amazing! Brings out a lot of things we don’t think about.” “Very, very moving.”
“There are intriguing stories of funeral practices throughout the centuries and this exhibit educates people on those stories and enables them to connect to the universal human experience of death,” says Harry Kurtz, President of MRA, a leading mobile exhibit and event producer. “The displays on Arlington and fallen public safety officers move people to tears.”
Reflections: The American Funeral has been touring across the United States since Summer 2008, stopping at state capitols, universities, veteran events, and mortuary schools, funeral homes and industry conventions. During January 2009 Inauguration celebrations, both Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C., and Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine in Baltimore, MD, hosted it.
Lisa Spry
Owner