Winterthur, DE - Pets in America: The Story of Our Lives with Animals at Home, a lively exhibition examining the special bonds between Americans and the house pets, is now on view at Winterthur Museum & Country Estate through January 20, 2008.

The family-friendly program offers an endearing and informative look at the history of American’s relationships with their pets from the 1700s to the present. “Today, about two-thirds of American households have a pet,” says Katherine C. Grier, a professor in the
Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Early American Culture and curator of the exhibition. “While we don’t have statistics for pet ownership in the 1700s and 1800s, we do know that pets have been part of everyday life in American households for hundreds of years—cats, dogs, birds, fishes, and even rodents, like mice and squirrels. The ways that we talk about our pets, as companions or as family, and the ‘stuff’ we have to take care of them, from flea powder to gourmet dog food, have their origins long ago.”

The exhibition looks at the evolving history of animals as pets, the changing role of pets in family life, the importance of kindness to animals, the development of professional medical care for animals, pets as symbols and celebrities, and the marketing of live animals and pet products. Pets in America features more than 200 objects and photographs including pet portraits from the 1800s; a dog treadmill from the 1890s; pet food packaging and advertising; early veterinary medicine; antique collars; pet habitats like birdcages and aquariums; and vintage print ads. The objects are drawn from public and private collections across the nation. While at Winterthur, the exhibition will feature additional objects selected from the museum’s vast collection of American antiques.

“I’ve always had pets, and while researching this exhibition, I discovered that the history of pet-keeping can tell us a great deal about American’s changing ideas about human nature, child development, and community life,” continues Grier. “Pet-keeping is an integral part of the story of America, and the evolution of our relationships with pets reflects broader changes in our country, from the rise of a culture that valued kindness to animals to the development of the United States as a consumer society.”

“If I had to choose a favorite object, it would be either a Christmas stocking given in 1948 to a dog named Sinbad, or a wonderful custom-made dog coat from the 1960s, worn by a poodle named Gigi who was just as stylish as her owner,” says Grier. “I love them both because they still have their “stories” attached to them—so many others have lost their history of ownership.”

As a special feature of the exhibition, Winterthur will invite visitors to write a story, draw a picture, or post a photo of their favorite pet on a “Post your Pet” board.

The exhibition was organized by the McKissick Museum at the University of South Carolina and has a companion website with a virtual tour available online at www.PetsinAmerica.org . Two accompanying books, Pets in America: A History and At Home with Animals: People and Pets in America, both by Katherine C. Grier, have been published in conjunction with the exhibition.

Winterthur Museum & Country Estate, known worldwide for its preeminent collection of American antiques, naturalistic garden, and research library for the study of American art and material culture—offers a variety of tours, exhibitions, programs, and activities throughout the year. Winterthur has been named one of the country’s “10 great places of historic proportions” by USA Today; “one of the 10 grandest mansions in America” by Budget Travel; and one of the “10 best art museums for kids” by Child magazine.

Museum hours are 10 am to 5 pm, Tuesday–Sunday. Winterthur, located on Route 52, six miles northwest of Wilmington, Delaware, and five miles south of U.S. Route 1, is closed Mondays (except holidays and during Yuletide), Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day. Winterthur is committed to accessible programming for all. For information, including special services, call 800.448.3883, 302.888.4600, or TTY 302.888.4907. Online, visit : www.winterthur.org .