Humans—Homo sapiens—and our cousins the chimpanzees are born naked, but humans, unlike chimpanzees, spend most of their lives wearing clothes. Scientific studies using data from genetics and archaeology suggest that humans began wearing clothes perhaps as early as 170,000 years ago. Clothing, of course, not only provides warmth in colder climates, but, like language and religion, is a symbol system. Hats, while they do provide some protection from cold, sun, and rain, are often symbolic. Hats can indicate important social categories including gender, social class, military rank, occupation, and ethnic group. Shown below are some displays of hats in various museums.
Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture, Spokane, Washington
Of the displays was the Alice Niemeier Hat Collection. Hats were once essential to a woman’s outfit. In 2007, Alice Niemeier gave her collection of hats—all of which she had worn during the era of the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s—to the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture. In receiving a gift like this, the Museum staff photographs each item and make an electronic record of it.
Old Fort Benton, Fort Benton, Montana
Upper Swan Valley Museum, Condon, Montana
Hagerman Valley Historical Museum, Hagerman, Idaho
Fire Museum, The Dalles, Oregon
Fort Dalles Museum, The Dalles, Oregon
White River Valley Museum, Auburn, Washington
The museum includes a display of the Auburn Hat Shop
Paugh Regional History Hall in the Museum of the Rockies, Bozeman, Montana
Veterans Memorial Museum, Chehalis, Washington
For the military, hats, in the form of helmets, provided not only protection but also indicated affiliations and sometimes rank.
Museums 201
This series presents photo tours from similar exhibits in different museums. More from this series:
Museums 201: Shoes (photo diary)
Museums 201: Washing machines (photo diary)
Museums 201: Sewing machines (photo diary)
Museums 201: Quilts (photo diary)
Museums 201: Kitchens (photo diary)
Museums 201: Pianos and organs (photo diary)
Museums 201: Bicycles (photo diary)
Museums 201: Wood-fired kitchen ranges (photo diary)