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Harold, who was once voted "The Ultimate Cat Lover" by Cat Fancy magazine (he has the article framed in the museum), is a bottomless food bowl of information about every item in his collection. He's also at an age where he's worried about what will happen when he's no longer around. He tried writing descriptions for some of the artifacts, but "people don't want to read more than 14 words." Now he's training his docents to give visitors bullet-point highlights of his most charismatic possessions. We asked Harold about his nearest competitor, the Feline Historical Museum in Ohio.
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For his efforts to save thousands of kittens and cats, he is affectionately known as “the Catman” in Jackson County, Crow says. The new museum location will be in a building Sims had built on U.S. 441 south in Sylva. Sims' love of felines has even inspired a book, "Poems, Songs and Other Silly Things about Cats," which is available at the museum. Sims has done much more for his feline companions than simply memorialize them and their myriad likenesses in a museum.
Cats and cannons collide at Gettysburg’s feline-themed Civil War museum - WHYY
Cats and cannons collide at Gettysburg’s feline-themed Civil War museum.
Posted: Fri, 01 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
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He admits to draining his personal retirement kitty to acquire some of his rarer items -- and to bankroll his cat shelter -- but shrugs at the cost. It is a local no-kill, cage-free cat shelter run by an 82-year old man whose feline artifacts fill the cat museum. See a fascinating collection of 10,000+ cat-related curiosities, including many rare and fascinating antiques, collected by "CatMan2" for the past 20 years. One of the few museums in the country dedicated to felines. Every inch of the building displays pieces of his international cat collection that he started 30 years ago.
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Of course, there are the obligatory cat figurines, stuffed toy cats, and every possible signage featuring a cat. But once you acclimate and begin to really study the displays and curio cases, incredible things start to pop out at you. While researching your Smokies vacation, you may come across a place so intriguing you’ll have no choice but to visit. You have just stumbled upon The American Museum of the House Cat. This museum, located in Sylva, NC., is the purrfect place to to pay homage to our feline friends. “The more I learned, the more I began to believe that they’re smarter than we are,” he says.
That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall. Glass & Metal Day is the first of several Saturday educational events hosted throughout the year in the Folk Art Center’s auditorium, including Fiber Day (May 13), Clay Day (June 10) and Wood Day (Aug. 12). The event, put on by the Western North Carolina Orchid Society, will feature exhibits by international orchid growers and breeders along with regional orchid societies. It’s the arboretum’s second-biggest annual event, surpassed only by the Winter Lights holiday festival, says Graham Ramsey, president of the WNC Orchid Society.
More Quirky Attractions in North Carolina
Then eight little cats, and soon a shed full of cats…. "Well, I've always liked cats. I never had a cat until I got to be about 10 to 12 years old, maybe older than that," Dr. Sims said. The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community.
One of the museum’s goals is to educate visitors about the history, culture, and art surrounding domestic cats, as well as their role in human societies throughout history. The American Museum of the House Cat, however, does more than provide a fascinating insight into the history of the house cat—it also helps to save lives. There’s nothing better than hitting a museum when you’re looking for an afternoon of culture, entertainment, and education all wrapped up in one.
A collection of Victorian-era buildings saved from demolition, located on acres of beautifully landscaped grounds just north of Los Angeles, California. Our museums have, wait for it, 35 million real objects and artifacts. Come see them and meet the people who discover and investigate them.
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The American Museum of the House Cat, the tangible result of Sims' desire to "honor the house cat," opened in 2017. Since then, he says, more than 15,000 people – including tourists from Russia, China and England – have come through through this small, inconspicuous building just off US 441 in rural western North Carolina. Cats have a regal bearing that seems to have fascinated human beings throughout history. Bastet, a feline goddess, was an important deity in ancient Egypt, most commonly represented by a sitting cat staring straight ahead. A bronze statue of the worshipped feline dating back to 600 B.C. Is one of the highlights of the American Museum of the House Cat, which has hundreds of exhibits dedicated to the beloved species.
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“When you step inside the cat museum, be prepared to journey through centuries, as the history of house cats is told,” Crow says. The NC Great Smoky Mountains have quite a few fascinating and sometimes quirky museums you don’t want to miss. The Museum of the Cherokee Indian uses artifacts, artwork, and computer animation to tell the story of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
Especially if you are a true cat lover and aficionado. The house is located at the crest of Laurel Canyon Boulevard and Mulholland Drive and is open for guided tours by reservation only. The house is owned by the MAK Center, which also runs the Schindler House and you'll find details about the tours at the MAK Center website. The American Museum of the House Cat was featured in a short documentary. It details the love that that Dr. Sims (the founder of the cat museum) feels for cats. The film has been shown at cat festivals and museums across the country.
Despite its oversized fame, it's a modest-sized house, with floor-to-ceiling glass walls and a 300-degree-plus view of the city of Los Angeles. Designed by Pierre Koenig in 1959 from a concept developed by the house's owner Buck Stahl, it's also called Case Study House #22. You've seen this iconic mid-century house and its view countless times in films, advertisements, and magazines. It's one of my favorite places to go in LA and especially beautiful at twlight.
Note that a map will show that the museum is on Route 23; some GPS directions may have you turning in different directions. From Hwy 74 just go south on 23 and you can't miss it on your left. The museum relocated in 2020 south just down the road to a larger building. Admission is $7.50/person, $2/children 6-12, under 6 free. Hours are Tuesday-Saturday 10 AM-5 PM and Sunday 12-5 PM. All profits from the museum go to the nearby Catman2 Shelter, a unique cage-free no-kill cat adoption center.
For cat lovers, the prospect just got even better—feline-themed museums are now popping up all over the world, including Malaysia, the Netherlands, and Montenegro. From cartoon posters to kitty portraits, there is no shortage of interesting feline art. In fact, that could also be the motto of the museum itself. Curated by Harold Simms, the well-respected founder of Catman2 rescue in Sylva, NC, The American Museum of the House Cat is only one of 2 museums in the United States dedicated to the domesticated feline. Originating with Simms’ personal collection of cat art and items, the museum is now open to the public with all proceeds going to cat rescue.
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