“The world is chockablock with untold wonders, there for the taking, ready to be uncovered at any moment, if only we keep our eyes open.” So writes A. Kendra Greene in her book, “The Museum of Whales You Will Never See: And Other Excursions to Iceland’s Most Unusual Museums.” The name of the book, alone, is enough to capture someone’s imagination. Having grown up in a big city, I always had access to a number of wonderful museums. There were museums that held art from all different periods, cultures, and countries, as well as museums with dioramas depicting animals I had never seen so closely, or the skeletons of animals from long before humans walked the Earth. Museums can bring history to life by preserving and displaying everyday objects our ancestors used, or priceless historical documents carefully written by the hand of legendary people. At the Smithsonian, I once saw a pair of Dorothy’s ruby slippers that were worn by Judy Garland in “The Wizard of Oz.” I was star-struck. It was like I was actually looking at magic shoes. Museums are magical places.
Here is a collection of books about museums, for your perusal:
“The Museum Of Whales You Will Never See: And Other Excursions to Iceland’s Most Unusual Museums,” is a funny book. The author’s museum descriptions tell you as much about the people of Iceland as they do about the museums themselves. With a notably high number of museums for the size of the population, there is a wide variety from which to choose. The museums mentioned in the book include the Icelandic Phallological Museum, The Herring Era Museum, The Icelandic Sea Monster Museum and The Museum of Icelandic Sorcery and Witchcraft, among others. Reading about some of these museums made me long to see them in person (despite their location in a country that begins with the word “Ice” — brrr).
In “The Museum of Other People: From Colonial Acquisitions to Cosmopolitan Exhibitions,” by Adam Kuper, we learn the history of anthropology museums. It is a history fraught with dubiously 
acquired artifacts, scientific racism, plundered art and robbed burial grounds. The book explores the ethics of such institutions, past and present, and how they might educate the public, going forward, while being respectful of other cultures.
“Museum of the Missing: A History of Art Theft,” by Simon Houpt, as the name says, tells the story of art theft, from art stolen during wartime to the bold exploits of modern-day art thieves. The book contains beautiful illustrations of stolen masterpieces and all the intrigue of an art heist story. “Most breathtaking of all, this invaluable resource offers a ‘Gallery of Missing Art,’ an extensive section showcasing stolen paintings that remain lost — including information about the theft and estimated present-day value — and which may never be seen again.”
The book “A Fool’s Errand: Creating the National Museum of African American History and Culture in the Age of Bush, Obama, and Trump,” by Lonnie G. Bunch, III, tells the story of how a museum is born. Specifically, the newest Smithsonian museum, which occupies the last available spot on the historic National Mall in Washington, was not without controversy from the start. Here, you are given behind-the-scenes information about museum decisions, from where to put the museum to how to fund it and what to exhibit there. The journey from conception to reality is interesting, especially when you consider the changing political climate during the process. 
Ultimately, the museum came together successfully. It now boasts a staff of 200, a collection of nearly 40,000 objects and is visited by more than four million people a year.
Museums are generally in the business of showing off their collections but some historical objects are kept hidden away from the public. Some of these items are discussed in 
Molly Oldfield’s book, “The Secret Museum.” “Because of security risks, fragility, size, pricelessness or the need for a controlled environment, unless specifically ferreted out, these treasures will remain unknowns,” said Publishers Weekly. The author gives us a peek into the backrooms of museums, allowing us to learn about treasures such as school exercises written on clay tablets in Assyria in approximately 660 B.C., a pair of Queen Elizabeth I’s shoes, Anne Frank’s friendship book, as well as “Things Beneath Floorboards,” as one chapter is mysteriously named.
Museums exist to enlighten, fascinate and inspire the imagination. They bring history to life through their collections and make one feel a connection to the past. If you have a chance, get out and see a museum in person. If you can’t make it to one, experience the next best thing, through descriptions, stories, illustrations and photos, in a book!
