The Purse and the Person: A Century of Women’s Purses

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Venue:	Concord Museum
Dates:	Sunday, May 14, 2006 - Tuesday, July 4, 2006
Cost:	$$ see below
Category:	Exhibits

While archaeologists may create a picture of an individual from a cache of artifacts buried deep in the earth, this new exhibition at the Concord Museum brings together life stories buried right under our noses – in the purses carried by our mothers and grandmothers. Developed from a private collection of nearly 2,000 handbags, each vignette in this exhibit combines purses with the everyday objects that filled them.

Purses are far more than containers for life’s necessities; they are private repositories of life stories – our grandmothers’, our mothers’, our daughters’ and our own. Bejeweled, embroidered, crocheted or made of gold mesh or the most sumptuous leather, these handbags and their contents from gloves and sunglasses to compacts and chewing gum were brought together by a collector who has a passion for purses.

The exquisite designs of Whiting & Davis, Judith Leiber, Chanel, Gucci, Prada, and Kate Spade are side by side with the timeless day and evening styles carried by generations of women. Sassy and chic or staid and matronly, kitsch or classic clutch, these vintage purses reveal the personalities, the fashion sense and the day-to-day concerns of women of the 20th century.

The exhibit is on view from April 21 through July 4, 2006.

About the Concord Museum
The Concord Museum is located in historic Concord, Massachusetts at the intersection of Lexington Road and Cambridge Turnpike. The Museum is wheelchair accessible and has ample free parking on Cambridge Turnpike. The Concord Museum is accredited by the American Association of Museums.

Admission
General admission to the Museum is $8 for adults, $7 Seniors (62 & over), $7 Students with valid id, $5 Children. Concord Museum Members are free.
HOURS: April - December: Monday-Saturday 9-5; Sunday 12-5 (open Sundays June-August 9-5); The Museum is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter.

COST

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$8 for adults, $7 Seniors, $5 children

WEBSITE

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www.concordmuseum.org

LOCATION

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200 Lexington Rd., Concord, MA, 01742 map
Phone: 978-369-9763

TIPS

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Mother's Day
This Mother’s Day, May 14 from 12:00pm – 5:00pm, is the perfect occasion to bring your mothers (or mothers to bring your families!) to the Concord Museum to enjoy The Purse & the Person and special family activities.

REVIEWS

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The Purse And The Person

Just saw this exhibit one day before it closed and I have to say, I was not at all impressed. Yes, it was an interesting idea--the relationship between women and their purses--but it was not fully executed, and lumped women into categories that did not really explicate purses or the people behind them (as the title of the exhibit suggests). While a fun peek at purses in general, I didn't think the exhibit was all it could be.

Excellent Choice For A Women's Night Out

The Museum in Concord is just beautiful! The history that this museum holds is truly a gift! The display of purses throughout the ages is wonderfully interesting and would be a delightful way to start and evening off with friends. The handbag choices were perfect, interesting and sometimes strange. I loved it!