On my list of must see places was the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum. She was an early collector of the form and I’d heard tell the place was filled to the brim with treasures.

 

 

What I didn’t know was the building’s original use.

 

 

Half museum, half insane asylum.

Color me intrigued.

 

 

Well, that doesn’t look at all comfortable.

 

 

But at least there’s a cushion.

*gulp*

 

 

This certainly gives new meaning to the term “time out”.

 

 

While revolting….

 

 

I have to say the peek into early treatment of mental illness was fascinating.

 

 

Yikes.

 

 

Seems like there was a whole lot of restraint … and not much actual treatment.

 

 

It was about this time the husband told me he read about men committing their misbehaving wives for little more than disagreeing with their authority.

 

 

Uh oh.

 

 

Early shock therapy looked rather primitive.

 

 

Am I the only one who’s reading “restored” as irreparably brain damaged?

 

 

One can only imagine the horrors those poor people suffered at the hands of their supposed healers.

 

 

Though they did have some pretty snazzy syringes.

On a lighter note, the husband was tickled to see one of these on display.

 

 

He bought a whole box of these slides at a yard sale years ago. They’re pretty valuable as a few of them show pre Civil War life with slaves… but he’s never found the actual lantern for sale.

 

 

If you ever see one? Let me know….

It would make a great birthday gift and rise above his usual level of rusty crap.