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The National Museum of Funeral History:

The Heritage of Death Care

hile not a favorite topic for discussion, “death care is one of
man’s oldest professions,” according to Robert L. Waltrip,
Wan undertaker turned collector on the topic. In 1992,
Waltrip founded the National Museum of Funeral History in
Houston, Texas to “educate the public and preserve the heritage”
of this important aspect of life, loss, and mourning. Today, his
30,500-square-foot museum is the largest of its kind, housing the
most funerary artifacts in the world.
The idea for the Museum grew from Waltrip’s 25-year dream of
establishing an institution to house, preserve, and display the older
tools of his trade he and his family had collected over their decades in
the funeral services industry; items Waltrip realized were otherwise
being discarded. What started as a way to house his own funerary
items has since evolved into a rich cultural experience for the
thousands who visit, says Genevieve Keeney, the museum’s president,
and CEO. 17 permanent exhibits tell the stories behind a broad spectrum of
The Museum’s funeral-related topics, ranging from the ancient embalming rituals of
first major exhibit Egypt to remembering celebrities and public figures.
was a collection of Presidential Funerals & Artifacts
vintage hearses, which
continues to expand Among the museum’s permanent exhibits is an extensive
and fascinate visitors. collection of various artifacts from presidential funerals, including
In 2005, the Museum George Washington’s authentic $99.25 funeral bill, the original eternal
began its collabora- flame from President John F. Kennedy’s gravesite in Arlington
tion with the Vatican National Cemetery, as well as the hearse that was used to carry the
for what has become bodies of President Ronald Reagan and President Gerald R. Ford.
its hallmark exhibit, Another section in the exhibit on Abraham Lincoln includes a
Celebrating the Lives replica of his coffin (with a recreation of him lying in repose) as well
and Deaths of the Popes. A collection of authentic items was acquired as an authentic strand of his hair cut off by Dr. Leale, the first doctor
by the Museum for display, including the original uniforms worn by to arrive at Ford’s Theatre, who snipped it so he could gain access to
The Swiss Guard (responsible for the Pope’s personal security) and the president’s wound. There’s also a replica of the derringer pistol
vestments from Gammarelli’s, the tailor shop in Rome, which has John Wilkes Booth used to assassinate Lincoln.
clothed the last seven Popes. A 10,000-square-foot expansion of the
Museum took place to accommodate the 5,000-square-foot exhibit,
which opened in 2008, featuring premium sound and lighting, three-
dimensional scenes, and audio/visual multi-media presentations
providing visitors with a true sense of attending a Pope’s funeral and
the sacred traditions that are observed when a pope dies.
Over the decades, the museum has been able to expand its
permanent exhibits through generous donations and acquisitions of
significant items that document the history of the industry. Today,

On President’s Day 2020, the Museum unveiled its new, highly
anticipated George H.W. Bush Memorial Exhibit, honoring the 41st
President of the United States and his wife, Barbara Bush.
The exhibit includes many items such as the memorial folders and
tribute cards from Washington, D.C. and Houston. The permanent
exhibit also includes vestments worn by Rev. Dr. Russell J. Levenson,
Jr. and the uniform of Navy Capt. Judy T. Malana, U.S. Navy

34 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles