The Pink Palace Mansion showed of its remodel in the museum’s reopening Dec. 8. Along with other exhibits, the second floor of the museum opened for the first time since 1978 and features a mechanical wooden circus set built by Clyde Parke.
There is also a reconstructed model Piggly Wiggly store, country store and more than 600 artifacts from the Cossitt Museum, the first museum in Memphis, displayed as they would have been in the early 19th century.
Collections developer for the Pink Palace Jestein Gibson, who has been working at the museum for 15 years, said she cannot wait until more people see the remodeled mansion that took two years to be completed.
“We have so many new artifacts on display,” Gibson said. “Everything is so shiny and new, and we want the public to come see it.”
The Clyde Parke Miniature Circus gallery took three and a half years to set up. Throughout the display, there are machines that make pieces move.
“Even when it’s not running, it’s beautiful to look at,” Gibson said.
The Pink Palace Museum is located at 3050 Central Ave. and is open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Thursday and Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and 6-9 p.m. Friday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday.
