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The Philadelphia area is rich in cultural capital; its assemblage of museums, historic sites, and libraries is unsurpassed in this nation. Cultural Connections is a guide to this wealth, exploring the holdings of these numerous institutions and the reasons our society has come to treasure certain works of art and artifice, and particular books, manuscripts, and natural specimens. Addressing broad themes in American history and culture, Morris J. Vogel illuminates the vast collection of objects held by the cultural institutions of the Delaware Valley. With reference to more than two hundred and fifty full-color illustrations, he draws connections between the holdings of one museum and those of others in an effort to reflect on how Americans have thought about culture in making sense of their experience as a people.

The reader of Cultural Connections will catch a glimpse of the spectacular galleries of the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the period rooms of Wintertbur as well as explore the treasures of the lesser-known American Philosophical Society, Wagner Institute, and the Mercer Museum, among others. The impressive array of cultural artifacts that reside in this region will astonish any lifelong resident, history buff, or sophisticated visitor to the Delaware Valley. In addition to commenting on the fabulous displays, Vogel discusses how such institutions evolved, what roles they play in the broader society, and how various groups—patrons and professionals, volunteers and visitors—interact within (and without) their walls.

The more than eighty art and science museums, libraries, and historical sites, that belong to the Museum Council of Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley are used to reveal the nature and breadth of the cultural enterprise in this country.

Tracing the origins of Philadelphia's cultural and scientific institutions in the formative years of the American republic, examining the effects of the later economic expansion and rise of fortunes in the mid- and late 19th century, exploring the notion of progress and the place it occupies in institutions of formal culture, and considering the importance of reinterpreting the past, Cultural Connections is a journey through the treasures to be found in your own backyard.

With Cultural Connections, Temple University Press initiates a series about Philadelphia's diverse cultural resources. The William Penn Foundation has generously provided the means to make these thought-provoking guides available.

The exquisite design and exacting production standards for this volume have achieved an exciting, almost poster-like display together with a deeply satisfying reading experience. Cultural Connections was designed with a unique structural design concept that totally integrates text, art, and captions within each two-page spread. Relying on neither the art catalog format nor the academic art book format, the designer recognized and balanced the individual and interrelated importance of each element. The printer was chosen from among art book specialists in five different countries for its extraordinary color reproduction. ... Read more

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Publisher: Milford, Del. : Milford Chronicle Publishing Co.Subjects: Delaware. State Library, DoverLawLaw -- United StatesNotes: This is an OCR reprint. There may be typos or missing text. There are no illustrations or indexes.When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free. You can also preview the book there. ... Read more

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Describes the geography, plants, animals, history, economy, religions, culture, sports, arts, and people of Delaware. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great book on Delaware
Basic info and stats on Delaware. Slightly outdated; 3rd edition will have more recent info. ... Read more

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Discusses some of the key people and events in Delaware's history, from the arrival of the first explorers in the 1600s to becoming the first state in 1787. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Well written account of the Colony
Like all of Fradin's books, this one is well written, informative, and interesting. My children both enjoyed listening to this as we studied colonial times, and liked the well chosen black and white illustrations. We especially enjoy the quotes from writings of the period at the start of each chapter, as they give a flavor for how real people of the time viewed things. We have read other accounts of Henry Hudson which seemed to include more information about his earlier life than the biographical sketch in this book, while Fradin states that little is known, but it is difficult to know for certain who is giving the correct information, as conjecture often gets labeled as fact in history books. The section on Hudson is only a one-page excerpt from the book anyway.We greatly appreciate the way this author makes information understandable to children through wise use of vocabulary, but never 'talks down' to them, and includes enough complex terminology to stretch their comprehension of history. ... Read more

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Describes the geography, plants and animals, history, economy, language, culture and people of the state of Delaware ... Read more

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A brief introduction to the history of the First State and its geography, industries, major tourist attractions, and famous citizens. ... Read more

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An introduction to the lives of the early settlers in the Delaware Colony, from the early attempts of the Dutch, Swedes, and English to colonize to Delaware's role in the American Revolution. ... Read more

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Explores the sports, tourism, industry, environment, history, and culture that make Delaware unique. ... Read more

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Discusses the history, places of interest, and famous people of the second smallest state in the nation, which also was the first to ratify the Constitution. ... Read more

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Introduction to one of the United States' original colonies, Delaware. Describes its origins, its leaders, and the colony's role in America's independence from Great Britain. ... Read more