Thursday, August 15, 2019

Fairbanks, Museum of the North & the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum

It was a good move on our part to just relax here for a couple of days. Taking our time and visiting a couple more places at our leisure before we start down the Pacific Coast Highway starting with Seattle.
Our first stop the Museum of the North on the University of Alaska, Fairbanks campus...It was quite lovely...a combination: natural history museum meets culture, meets art; both old and new.
It was a beautifully designed building inside and out




Mike with Otto, the Grizzly

We were able to catch a Aurora Borealis Movie produced here...very well done!



Squatting Human
Raven
An Orca
What Ptarmigan's look like in winter, and as they are changing colors
Loved how they had the specimens with beautiful artwork
The art gallery upstairs was beautifully installed and presented
Think this outhouse has Jungle Jim's beat...really fun!

Once again, I loved how the various artworks worked with one another

More than one person had recommended the Pumphouse Restaurant; so we made a dinner reservation for later on...

                        We had seen this fun emotional sculptures on our Riverboat Cruise

                            An artist humorous depiction of this restaurant and it's wildlife

            The majority of the restaurant used antiques so I'm assuming the bar was as well...beautiful!

                          They rebuilt the Pumphouse used to produce power for the restaurant theme

                             Great atmosphere, wait staff and the food was amazing!!!
The next day we ventured over to the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum. 


The focus here was all American cars prior to WWII, along with the clothing that would have gone along with them. Since the majority of them were for the rich, much of the clothing displayed was couture. There were at least 8 cars that only exist here. The museum's attention to detail, aesthetics and overall presentations of the autos, photos, videos and clothing were stunning! We wandered around there for a couple of hours, mesmerized by items we have only seen in movies or books.

I have never seen this car before...don't you love the umbrella

                            The car was fabulous as were these dresses...look at the details

Check out the feathers on the back of the one on the right...Did these people never sit down?



If I could fit in it I would wear it now...so gorgeous!!!




I so want the shawl alone...couldn't get into any of these tiny sizes but oh, they are beyond exquisite!

I would love one of these dresses in my size now, not sure where I would wear it but I don't care!

Can't imagine how much this dress weighed with all that heavy lace and flowers


I also want this cover up maybe without the fur and did I mention I'll take the car too




Talking about sparkling when you walked


This fabric and the dresses are divine but I can't imagine many women who have the figure for them...no underwear if you read the info

WOW!!!

I think I would look great in this coat shopping at Publix





Downton Abbey for sure, check out the hats on the backseat

Loved how well these two dresses fit with this gorgeous light blue car

The coverup on the right is simply divine, darling!!!


A gorgeous shimmer mermaid coat and the back was so beautiful too

Wouldn't want to try to walk in these dresses but all that beading was stunning!!!

I would wear this duster style coat today

That beading!!!





Mike dressing up for the part






We think this might have been one of the first passenger wagons???


They started out with some wonderful bikes that we hadn't seen before and dresses that might have been worn while riding them???




Loved to see both of them dressed up for a fine night on the town

All beads


We ended the day out on the Fairbank's Princess Riverside Bar watching the canoes, floats and boats go by...

I asked Mike to add his thoughts about Alaska...He couldn't believe how enormous the state is and many of the sights are unique to here...Truly, "The Last Frontier!"
PS He said, he has no desire to be here in the winter, Northern Lights or not!





























1 comment:

Off to the Reagan Library and to San Diego 8/23/19

As we leave the Seabee base, we are immediately in the heart of farm country with acres of fields of various produce with intric...