The Travel Channel: Mysteries at the Museum

Linda Banche here. Today we have something a little different. Instead of history in books, this post talks about history on television, specifically, in museums across the United States.

The Travel Channel premieres a new historical program called Mysteries at the Museum next week.

In this show, the Travel Channel takes a look at the strange and curious remnants of America's past, often accompanied by scandal, mystery, and intrigue. The first episode, airing November 2nd at 9 E/P, features some of the nation’s most revered museums.

For a preview, see the sneak peak below:





If the video is not working correctly, link to the sneak peek here.

Additional information about each of the mysteries in this first volume is below.

Mysteries at the Museum: Volume 1

Alcatraz:
Our journey first takes us to the most inhospitable museum on the
planet: Alcatraz. In 1962 three notorious convicts conquered the
impossible--they escaped. With the help of newspapers, rain jackets, a
spoon handle, and real human hair, how did Alan West, Frank Morris, John
and Clarence Anglin conquer a masterful plan of deception? Did they
even survive?

National Museum of the U.S. Navy:
The National Museum of the U.S. Navy houses The Enigma Machine. It
resembles a typewriter, but was actually a cutting edge, top-secret
machine used to the Nazi’s advantage in the 1940s. Why did the fate of
the free world fell on solving the Enigma’s puzzle?

Mead Art Museum:
Amongst fine art and world artifacts, Amherst College holds one of the
world’s most disgusting looking creatures: The Feejee Mermaid. The
origin of these skeletal remnants are still unknown, but it’s head of a
monkey, body of a fish, sharp teeth, and nasty claws make for a
tantalizing sight.

NASA Space Center:
The Space Center in Houston, Texas is dedicated to the history of
NASA’s space program and holds a lifesaving piece of technology. On
April 11, 1970, NASA launched its third mission to land on the moon, but
two days later, the unthinkable happened. A large oxygen tank on the
space craft exploded, causing the Apollo 13 crew’s oxygen supply to leak
into space. How did a single grey canister save the lives of the crew
of this crippled spaceship?

Henry Ford Museum:
Can you imagine a house able to withstand an earthquake, is flood
resistant, and fire proof? The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan
holds the Dymaxion House that does just that. Coining the term
“sustainable living”, this “futuristic” home could have significantly
impacted how we live today, so why did it fail?

Walter’s Art Museum:
Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa is one of history’s most enduring
masterpieces. For generations, rumors have circulated that Walter’s Art
Museum in Baltimore, Maryland is where the original painting hangs
today, as opposed to the Musée du Louvre in Paris. As part of one of
the most shocking art thefts in history, was a copy of the famous
painting actually switched with the stolen original?

Find out the answers to these questions and more by tuning in to the
premiere of Mysteries at the Museum on Tuesday, November 2nd at 9 E/P.

Enjoy the stories, and the secrets that will be revealed!