Gloucester Museums

With the dogs in for all-day grooming, we had the chance to take a day trip. The earlier visit to Historic New England's warehouse reminded us that it had been a while since we last went to the Sleeper-McCann house (Beauport) in Gloucester, MA. http://www.historicnewengland.org/visit/homes/beauport.htm


The house is built on the rocks at the edge of Gloucester harbor, in a neighborhood of summer homes for the affluent. What makes the house so appealing is that it displays the creative decorating techniques of its original owner, Henry Sleeper, of Boston. During the early 20th century he collected architural fragments and paneling from old homes, in addition to varied collections of decorative arts such as tole, silhouettes, colored glass, folk art, etc. He took these items and arranged and displayed them for their visual effect, using themes of based on color, design, and origin. It is a combination of personal expression and "show house", which he used to demonstrate his skills for clients. His specialty was recreating "early American rooms" for people such as Henry DuPont.

We also had the chance to visit a museum new to us, the Cape Ann Museum in downtown Gloucester http://www.capeannhistoricalmuseum.org/.

A real gem, the focus is on works by Cape Ann area artists (and those who painted there at least part time), some historical items related to the area, and some good early American furniture. The centerpiece is a collection of work by the 19th century marine artist Fitz Henry Lane.