Mad for the Madsonian

If you’re looking for a wedding spot on the cheap in the Mad River Valley, look no further than the Madsonian Museum of Industrial Design on Bridge Street in Waitsfield.

“Our tech guy is a minister, and we’ve got vintage tuxes, wedding gowns, and even wedding rings,” quip museum founder Dave Sellers and director Micaiah Adams. They are joking, but only just. If it’s an everyday object that’s beautiful and well made, chances are good you’ll spot it at the Madsonian.

Step inside the old farmhouse that houses the collection and it’s like going back in time. There’s a manual Underwood typewriter you remember sitting on your grandfather’s desk. There’s a set of wooden golf clubs that look identical to the ones your husband wistfully recalls playing with as a child. Among the more than 2000 objects in the museum, you’ll find everything from an award-winning DeSoto automobile to a contemporary teapot. 

It can be hard to discern any unifying themes as you wander the warren of rooms chock-a-block with objects. But keep wandering and keep looking. Soon enough, you’ll come to see that great design is what ties everything together. And then, that iconic Frank Gehry “Wiggle Chair” makes perfect sense in conversation with a Kenmore washing machine from the 1940s that looks positively futuristic. 

If you haven’t been to the Madsonian, then go. It’s a great place to elope with your honey or while away an hour on a rainy afternoon.

45 Bridge Street

Waitsfield, VT

Admission: $5.00