Don't Poke Your Eye Out at The Plymouth Historical Museum

The holiday season is in full swing at the Plymouth Historical Museum with the launch of its returning exhibit, "A Red Ryder Christmas Story," which opened last week.

The fun-filled exhibit is based on the beloved classic Christmas movie, "A Christmas Story," as well as the original story by Jean Shepherd from which the movie is based. A little boy named Ralphie has to convince his parents, teachers, and Santa that a Red Ryder B.B. gun really is the perfect gift for a boy of his age.

The Museum is filled with vignettes of scenes from the movie, including the infamous leg lamp and Flick’s tongue getting stuck to the lamp pole. The movie and stories are nostalgic of the late depression era and early years of WWII, which the exhibit seeks to capture by incorporating items from the time period.

"When you would go see Santa, there were a lot of stairs to go up, so there were these lines and the kids were pushing and trying to get up there," Janet Burns, museum volunteer coordinator, said explaining one vignette. "And this Santa was not a very nice Santa. He tried to get you out really quickly. So the elves take you off Santa's lap and push you down a slide and the kids would get scared and scream on the way down. It's quite funny."

The museum also captures the local angle, since Red Ryder BB guns were originally sold by Daisy Manufacturing Company of Plymouth. The story of Ralphie’s quest for this particular BB gun is significant to Plymouth’s history.

The exhibit runs through Jan. 19. 

In addition, Santa Claus will be on hand at the museum for visiting children every Saturday before Christmas beginning Nov. 30. 

The Plymouth Historical Museum is open Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 1-4 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults and $2 for children, ages 6-17.

For more information, visit http://www.plymouthhistory.org or call 734-455-8940.