Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Kauffman Museum, Bethel College


This afternoon we went to visit Kauffman Museum at Bethel College in North Newton, Kansas.  We had been there many years ago (when our girls were in college here).  For a small museum, it is pretty spectacular and is very well designed.  Charles Kauffman was a taxidermist.  His preserved animal collection formed the core of a diverse collection that he donated to Bethel College. The museum emphasizes the cultural and natural history of the Central Plains and the immigration of the Mennonites to Kansas in the 1870s.




Forry was very interested in seeing the Museum's collection of the copper plates that were used to print the pictures in the 1290 page book, The Mirror of the Martyrs printed in 1685.  He had helped to set up the traveling exhibit  when it came to Whitworth College in Spokane a number of years ago, sponsored by the local Mennonite Churches.


Only 30 of the original 140 copper plates used to illustrate the book have been found.


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