Wear your mourning attire (or dress in black) and join us for an afternoon exploring mourning traditions and rituals from the 1800s: the weeping widow; music played and sung; tragic love stories; ghost stories for the kids; a seance; mourning hair jewelry; and a display of widow's weeds.

During the 19th century, there was great social pressure on Victorians to make grieving public, not private.  This "public" mourning had to be practiced in accordance with a highly structured system of etiquette.  Wearing mourning attire, both fashionable and correct, was a tradition that Victorian women strictly adhered to.  Head-coverings were a mandatory part of mourning etiquette.  A widow was expected to wear a long veil of crape "to the bottom edge of her skirt, over her face, as well as down her back.  At the end of three months the front veil was put back from her face, but the long veil was worn two years at least, and frequently for life."  (Emily Post, 1922)

Come and learn more about these fascinating traditions!  It's a devilishly good tour! 

Join us on Saturday, October 28th, during our regular hours of 1:00 to 4:00; cost is our normal donation for a museum house tour.