World's Only Umbrella Cover Museum Attempts Record July 7 Marks First Time in History for Shot at Umbrella Cover Count Feat
QUIRKY STORY IDEA Peak's Island, ME-World's Only Umbrella Cover Museum Attempts First Ever Record on July 7
PEAK'S ISLAND, ME, June 19, 2012
The quirky community of Peaks Island, Maine may soon be known as more than a vacationer's paradise near Portland. On July 7, its Umbrella Cover Museum—the only one in the world—will count and categorize over 700 umbrella sleeves from nearly 50 countries in an attempt to make Guinness Book of World RecordsTM."We've been trying to get in for years," says museum founder Nancy 3. Hoffman, who opened the museum in 1996. "The Guinness people literally get tens of thousands of requests for new categories."
The stories behind the umbrella covers have shaped the museum's mission statement and raison dʼetre.
"The museum is not only about collecting umbrella covers. It's about finding a way to slow down and see the beauty in what may on first glance appear to be a mundane or silly item," Hoffman explains.
Hoffman, who recently authored the book, "Uncovered And Exposed, A Guide to the World's Only Umbrella Cover Museum," says umbrella covers (also known as sleeves or slipcovers) are being replaced these days with plastic covers instead of traditional fabric. She believes this is why the museum's unique recycling/preservation approach is becoming increasingly important.
An eclectic mix of umbrella covers adorns the museum's walls and ceiling. They range from a Japanese mini-spa cover with an internal massaging pod to a cover made from discarded gum wrappers. Most covers in the collection are donations from people who visited or heard about the museum. One of Hoffman's fondest cover memories came from an American contractor in Iraq who got caught in a bizarre rain and hail storm in Baghdad. He had brought a green umbrella with him and while the umbrella soon succumbed to the tirade of the storm, the cover made it back to the U.S. where it now stands proudly in the museum's collection.
"The museum is about covers from ordinary people like you and me, so anyone can help us count on July 7," says Hoffman, who can be reached at info@UmbrellaCoverMuseum.org.
About The Umbrella Cover Museum
The Umbrella Cover Museum was founded in 1996 on Peaks Island, Maine by Nancy 3. Hoffman. She dedicated the museum to collecting umbrella covers from around the world and appreciating the simple things in everyday life. There are also many stories behind the covers. Visit its website and Facebook pages for more information: http://www.umbrellacovermuseum.org/ and http://www.facebook.com/UmbrellaCoverMuseum.
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