The Mobile Carnival Museum Mobile Alabama part 2

Mobile Mardi Gras King and Queen

I'm so excited tomorrow night is Mobile's first Mardi Gras parade! The child in me will come out.

This is part 2 of a three part series exploring The Mobile Carnival Museum a wonderful museum located in a Historic Mansion in Mobile, Alabama . The staff are warm and friendly. You can take all of the photo's you like in the Museum. I highly recommend this museum if you are visiting Mobile, Alabama.





The Museum is located in the historic Bernstein-Bush mansion built in 1872 for Henry Bernstein, a boot and shoe dealer. The mansion was designed by architect James H. Hutchisson in the mixed style of Italianate and Greek Revival styles. The interiors of this house is particularly fine detail of beautifully cast plaster details and Mid 19th century Gasoliers original from fine mansions torn down on the next block in the 1960's. The gasoliers were moved to this house. The home is registered as a historic building. The accumulation of royal robes, crowns and scepters is beautifully displayed throughout the museum.




The terms "Mardi Gras" (pronounced /ˈmɑrdiɡrɑː/), "Mardi Gras season", and "Carnival season",in English, refer to events of the Carnival celebrations, beginning on or after Epiphany and ending on the day before Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras is French for "Fat Tuesday" (in ethnic English tradition, Shrove Tuesday), referring to the practice of the last night of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season, which started on Ash Wednesday.




While not observed nationally throughout the United States, a number of traditionally ethnic French cities and regions in the country have notable celebrations. Mardi Gras arrived in North America as a French Catholic tradition




Bienville found the settlement of Mobile, Alabama in 1702 as the first capital of French Louisiana. In 1703 French settlers in Mobile began the Mardi Gras celebration tradition. Mobile is known for having the oldest organized carnival celebrations in the United States, dating to the 18th century of its early colonial period. It was also host to the first formally organized Carnival mystic society or "krewe" in the United States, dating to 1830.

The Gasoliers in the home are amazing, each one is different they date from the 1840's-1850's and were made on the East Coast. They were original to mansions on the next block of the museum. But theses homes were demolished in the 1960's to make way for a park. The Gasoliers found a new home in the historic Bernstein-Bush mansion.

Hand made embroidered Mardi Gras robe

Hand made embroidered Mardi Gras robe

Original black marble mantel

This 1840's Gasolier has a water fountain theme going on

The Gasoliers in the home are amazing, each one is different they date from the 1840's-1850's and were made on the East Coast. They were original to mansions on the next block of the museum. But theses homes were demolished in the 1960's to make way for a park. The Gasoliers found a new home in the historic Bernstein-Bush mansion.

I just love the detail

Hand made embroidered Mardi Gras robe

19th century parade foldout

19th century parade foldout

19th century parade foldout

19th century parade foldout

A 1952 Mardi Gras Queen

Mardi Gras Favors giving out at Balls

Mardi Gras Favors giving out at Balls

Papier-mâché Carnival float

yours truly. As I was taking photo's a staff member insisted on taking my photo in front of a float.

Papier-mâché Carnival float

Papier-mâché Carnival float

Papier-mâché Carnival float

You could be a Mardi Gras King or a Queen

In the 19th and early 20th century floats were lit by men holding flambeaux

In the 19th and early 20th century floats were lit by men holding flambeaux

I discovered this Empire Revival table in the museum

The Bernstein-Bush mansion built in 1872

Front gate dates to the 1850's and is made of wrought iron and cast iron was originally across the street at the William Crawford Gorgas house now demolished. Dr Gorgas was the first person to prove the mosquito transmission of yellow fever.

The Bernstein-Bush mansion built in 1872 for Henry Bernstein, a boot and shoe dealer. The mansion was designed by architect James H. Hutchisson in the mixed style of Italianate and Greek Revival styles. The exterior has ornate cast iron gallery.

The front of the museum