A newly rebooted Museum of the Dog by the American Kennel Club is back in its original headquarters in Manhattan this week after decades of staying at the suburban town of St. Louis.
Visitors from all ages may now gaze long enough at every type of dog there is thanks to the 200-item dog-related collection of art and artifacts, and enjoy the museum of “man’s best friend.”
Located near the Grand Central Terminal, all dog lovers, enthusiasts, owners and pet parents can easily come to the museum and take a look at the best art collections related to dogs.
For the Love of All Things Dog
Entitled ‘For the Love of All Things Dog,’ this inaugural exhibition highlights every way dogs have appeared and have been represented in fine art throughout history.
A 30-million-year-old extinct dog fossil is one of the highlights of the museum, along with a Victoria-era dogcart used for children and pulled by dogs. An Edwardian dog house designed for a Chihuahua was also exhibited next to a parachute of a Yorkie, who served as a mascot and therapy dog for soldiers during World War II.
Famous dogs were also present at the museum, including King Edward VII’s wire fox terrier Caesar, who was there in his funeral procession in 1910. George H.W. Bush’s English springer spaniel Millie and George W. Bush’s Scottish terriers Miss Beazley and Barney could also be found at the museum. Belgrave Joe, who was the Fox Terrier that set the standard for the breed, could also be found in the museum with his complete set of skeleton.
According to a report by Curbed New York, there are also objects in the museum that reflected the changing roles of animals and “dogs as human parallels.”
“I think the best thing to take away is the fact that dogs were meant to have different jobs,” told museum executive director Alan Fausel to the Smithsonian Magazine.
But what is considered the “crown jewel” of the museum is its 42,000-volume library on dogs and its breeds.
Visitors may also stand in front of a touch-screen monolith, which then takes a photo of you and matches it with a dog breed that most resembles you, according to a New York Times report.
Architectural firm Gensler designed and installed the technological space in the museum, which also included “a wall-size screen with a virtual-reality dog for training.”
The only bad news visitors may receive here: no actual dogs are allowed inside the museum, unless, of course, it is a service animal.
