Houston Off The Beaten Path Tips by leafmcgowan

National Museum of Funeral History Unique / Unusual / One-Of-A-Kind Review

Drove out towards North/East Texas to the "coroner" (as they so put it on their web site) of Barren Springs and Ella Boulevard to a massively large complex called "The National Museum of Funeral History". No cars in the parking lot. Ghostly feel. I wondered if they were actually open. There was a lit "open" sign on a side door, but had an arrow telling me to go around to the front. I tried to open the front door - it seemed locked. I startled the slump of a human figure sitting behind the desk. She came and opened the door - was very welcoming and invited me in. Walking through the gift shop with serious funeral books mixed with goofy death gifts ... down a corporate hall with frames of newspaper articles about their grand opening. I walked into a large warehouse of hearses, funeral artifacts, historical clippings, funerary art, and demo stations. It was very intriguing. <P>Apparently the museum opened its doors on October 18, 1992 and now is one of the U.S.'s largest Museums covering the Funeral Industry. It's attached to a school where they teach morticians and undertakers how to do their job. A classic collection of funerary hearses ranging from the <A HREF="http://www.nmfh.org/exhibits/1921/index.html">1921 Rock Falls Hearse</a> to earlier horse-drawn carriage versions. From <A HREF="http://www.nmfh.org/exhibits/fantasy/index.html">Fantasy Coffins</a> (of Ghana) (ranging from lobsters, cows, crabs, eagles, etc. to trains, planes, and boats) to Sarcophagi. Dioramas of a mortuary to an embalming room, including a nicely done <A HREF="http://www.nmfh.org/exhibits/holmes/index.html">Civil Warm Embalming tent</a>. It was very intriguing. More can be found out about it at <A HREF="http://www.nmfh.org/">http://www.nmfh.org/</a>. There were a few intriguing things of interest in the gift shop, but I was a little broke. They seemed decently priced. From undertaker hot sauce to Mortuary books. I wish they had a Book of the dead. You know, those photograph books of the deceased. I would like one of those.

Phone: 281-876-3063

Website: http://www.nmfh.org/