Largest collection of umbrella covers, world record in Peaks Island, Maine
Peaks Island, Maine, United States--The Umbrella Cover Museum in Peaks Island, Maine, United States, was created and is curated by Nancy 3. Hoffman, who has collected more than 2000 umbrella covers from 66 countries, thus setting the world record for the Largest collection of umbrella covers, according to the WORLD RECORD ACADEMY.
"The Umbrella Cover Museum in Peaks Island, Maine is a museum that pays tribute to umbrella covers. The museum was created and is curated by Nancy 3. Hoffman, who has collected more than 2000 umbrella covers from 66 countries as of July 2018.
"The mission of the Umbrella Cover Museums states that it is "dedicated to the appreciation of the mundane in everyday life. It is about finding wonder and beauty in the simplest of things, and about knowing that there is always a story behind the cover."On 7 July 2012, Guinness World Records named Hoffman's umbrella cover collection of 730 at the time to be the largest in the world. The museum is closed during the winter. Guided tours include Hoffman, who is also a musician, singing "Let a Smile Be Your Umbrella" while playing an accordion.
"The idea for the museum came when Hoffman was cleaning out a closet and came across seven umbrella covers. The museum began in Hoffman's kitchen and was moved to a larger location as the collection grew. The museum's collection ranges in size from a two-and-a-half-inch Barbie doll cover to a six-foot patio umbrella sleeve. It has hosted special exhibitions including “People and Their Covers” and “New Umbrella Cover Fashions.” (Wikipedia)
"The Umbrella Cover Museum is a small, quirky museum on an island in Maine. Hundreds of umbrella covers (sleeves) are on display in a variety of unique exhibits. The tour takes about 20 minutes, and includes interactive exhibits, prizes, surprises, and a theme song," the official website says.
"Founder, director and curator, Nancy 3. Hoffman, is likely to greet you and give you her personal history with umbrella covers. By the time you have finished, you will be shaking a maraca with a smile on your face! The museum is reached by ferry from Portland, Maine. It is open summers only. Hours in 2023 are Mon. - Sat., 10-1 and 2-5, Sun. 10- 1 until Labor Day. Contact by email or text for further details. Admission is by donation.
"The Umbrella Cover Museum was founded in 1996 on Peaks Island, Maine by Director and Curator, Nancy 3. Hoffman. Having discovered that she had five or six umbrella covers she didn’t know what to do with, and eventually stealing one from a local department store, she decided to start a museum. People flocked by the tens to see the museum, people were thrilled to donate their old umbrella sheaths, and the international press went bonkers."
"Nancy 3. Hoffman is a self-confessed eccentric. For a start, she decided to legally change her middle name to '3'. She's a professional accordion player, which is definitely an unusual occupation," the Weird Universe says.
"And then she created the world's only Umbrella Cover Museum on Peaks Island, Maine in 1996. The museum is still going strong. Due to Covid, it had an outdoor exhibit this year.
"Back in 2012, Guinness recognized Nancy 3 for having the largest collection of umbrella covers in the world. At the time that was 730. She now has around 2000 covers."
"Alright campers, let’s take a little trip to Peaks Island, Maine. There, we’ll be meeting curator and director, Nancy 3. Hoffman. That’s right, her middle name is “three.” She plays the piano, the accordion, and she sings, but what she is mostly known for is her collection of Umbrella Covers. Today, we are visiting the Umbrella Cover Museum," the Museum Camp says.
"In case you were wanting more information on why Nancy’s middle name is the number 3, here you go. Originally, Nancy’s middle name was Arlene. In 1992, she decided to change her middle name, since she felt it was too ordinary. Nancy says she tried out all of the single digits, but “3” was the one she liked the most, so she legally changed it. One might wonder why she felt the need to have a digit as a middle name, and a single digit at that. Only Nancy can solve that riddle for us. Nancy, if you’re reading, the people want to know.
"Nancy holds the Guinness world record of the largest collection of Umbrella Covers. When she received her world record certificate, the official count was at 730 umbrella covers. She now has over 2,000, and these umbrella covers come from 71 different countries around the world."
"The work of a single Maine musician, the Umbrella Cover Museum is a small but whimsical collection that revels in the things that most people take for granted, such as the humble umbrella cover," the
Atlas Obscura says.
"The little museum was born in 1996 when oddly named Maine resident Nancy 3. Hoffman found between 5-7 umbrella covers simply laying in her closet with nothing to cover. Inspired by the empty leftovers, Hoffman accumulated more of the sheaths from friends and family, and opened her collection of around 80 covers with an official ribbon cutting.
"Since its inception, the charming museum has continued to grow, collecting umbrella covers from over 44 countries around the world. In total, the museum now houses over 700 umbrella covers of all shapes and sizes ranging from doll accessories to patio furniture sized covers. Hoffman’s strange accomplishment has even been recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest umbrella cover collection in the world."
"Nancy 3. Hoffman (not a middle initial typo) is an author, accordionist and the director, curator and founder of the Umbrella Cover Museum. She is also running out of space," the
Sun Journal says.
"There are more than 1,300 umbrella covers in the little one-room Peaks Island museum that holds the Guinness Book World Record for the world’s largest umbrella cover collection. Which is exactly as it sounds: limp little sleeves, some sleek, some soft, some hand-knit, some commercially stitched.
"The collection started innocuously enough in the 1990s. Hoffman, who legally changed her middle name from Arlene to 3 in 1992, discovered she had a handful of umbrella covers from her past umbrellas. She began asking around, what did other people do with them?"
""Welcome to the Umbrella Cover Museum. You're in the world's only museum of umbrella covers - umbrella sleeves from all over the world." Meet Nancy 3 Hoffman, the director, curator and founder of the Umbrella Cover Museum. "And yes, my middle name is really the number 3," she says," the Maine Public reports.
"Nancy 3 Hoffman: "It started when I realized I had a few umbrella covers lying around my house. So I, like most people, take the umbrella cover off the umbrella and throw it in a closet, in a drawer, in the back of the car, and basically forget about it for the next 10 years, until you clean out the house or have to move. And then you find them. So I found some umbrella covers, started asking people if they kept their umbrella covers, and people were very kind and generous and gave them to me."
"Located in a 14 by 10 foot cabin near the island's waterfront, the museum now contains more than 1,000 umbrella covers from all corners of the globe - 55 countries to be exact. There are big ones, small ones, toy ones, bullet-proof ones. There are covers made of wool, rubber and silk, many of them featuring original art work."
"Just one visit to Maine will prove that it’s one of the most unique states in America! Of course, you’ll find tons of beauty and natural attractions just about everywhere you look. But there’s something extra-special about a state that inspires attractions such as the Umbrella Cover Museum on Peaks Island," the Only In Your State says.
"There's a lot to love about the island, but one of our favorite attractions is the Umbrella Cover Museum, one of the most unique museums in Maine. The passion project of Nancy 3. Hoffman, the Umbrella Cover Museum is intended to be a celebration of the mundane.
"The museum has been open since 1996 and it's been more than 20 years of simple appreciation ever since! If you're the type that finds humor in small things, sees joy in the everyday, and seeks to be thankful for as much as possible this is a must-visit!"
Related world records:
