In fact, the museum has managed some significant achievements in the last few years, such as the display of 49 horses, one goat, two chariots and a band organ from the Lake Compounce Amusement Park, including the larger, more ornate outside row horses, the first time those animals have been seen in public in many years. There are jumpers, standers and prancers. Red, white and blue bunting hangs over many of the displays, and organ music fills the air whenever there is a visitor in the converted brick factory building. Even the walls have been used to the best effect, with sketchings of carousel animals used as a backdrop of the museum's recreation of a carving shop. In the 19th and early 20th century, when carving in this country was at its height, shop foremen would draw a picture of the animal that was in progress on the wall, because so many workers were immigrants who did not speak English.
Art is the universal language.
It's amazing the work that goes into restoration. My husband is over there asking about the prices. I had to tell him no way we can afford these. The Colemans had been to the museum a year earlier with their granddaughter and found it fascinating. They stood in front of a Marcus C. Illions horse bedecked with gold leaf and flowers, part of an exhibit that explained the various styles of horse carving in this country during the late 19th century, and reminisced.