Want to know a quick way to spice up a trip to the Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge, Tennessee area? Dash inside the Museum of Salt & Pepper Shakers!
My husband and I couldn’t resist going inside on our last trip to Gatlinburg. There were thousands of salt & pepper shaker sets. I actually enjoyed milling around, looking at all the different designs. Or maybe I just enjoyed being child-free for half an hour, since my children refused to come inside and waited in the car instead. I would have– no, should have– spent longer looking at the displays. But with a sulky teenager waiting in the car, I only looked long enough to get the flavor of the museum.
What’s funny, though, is that ever since our visit, I cannot stop myself from picking up salt & pepper shakers at every yard sale, thrift store, or flea market and think about that museum and wonder whether they have the same set that I’m holding? I almost want to buy the sets I come across and send them down to Tennessee to add to the museum collection. Or start my own collection. A “Museum North,” if you will. I’ll start with my I Love Lucy shakers. Because aren’t you dying to see those now?
Do you have any ‘museum-worthy’ salt & pepper shakers?
Update: As requested, here is a picture of my I Love Lucy shaker set. Her torso comes off and holds pepper. The grape vat is for salt. I think this trip inspired the gift.
OMG! I wish we had kept my grandmother’s collection! We could’ve donated. She had dozens and dozens of old-time and kitschy ones.
Oh. I bet those shakers were neat. I have some of my grandmother’s kitschy knick-knacks. Mostly glass shoes that she kept on her dresser. They’re little treasures to me.
no because all the salt shakers go missing
Ha! That’s funny. I only imagine this happening in restaurants.
I have saltaholics living with me–can only find the pepper mill
Oh, yes I am! And I think you should have to show your I Love Lucy salt and pepper shakers to us since you brought it up.
I am not a collector of anything, but I love all the crazy salt and pepper shakers that we see in antique malls and shops. They’re just so “fun.”
Okay. I’ll take a picture and share.
I definitely contemplate buying salt & pepper shakers as souvenirs now when I travel. But the odd thing is that we don’t really use salt in my house, so never actually need them.
I am too
I used to collect all sorts of things, but not anymore…not since we decided to ‘de-clutter’ our lives. Have given away all those little boxes, and bells and spoons
Smart. I can’t do it. I’m a terrible collector (bordering on hoarder), but I admire people that can de-clutter.
I haven’t been to Gatlinburg since middle school, when we went “skiing” on some broken leg-inviting ice mountain. We had a blast, though. I still have the “See Rock City” signs burnt into my brain from trips between Louisville and Atlanta. Great memories, thank you!
I’m very familiar with the Louisville-Atlanta trek. And the “See Rock City” signs. Iconic.
My mother has been collecting salt and pepper shakers for years – she would love this place! And, by the way, I visited quite a few places on last summer’s vacation while a sulky teenager waited in the car – you are not alone!
It’s kinda nice, isn’t it? To escape the sullenness and enjoy your alone time?
Encourage your mother to go. There are rooms after room. It was really interesting, and I don’t even collect them.
That is one unique and creative museum. That’ll be cool to see your own collection starting with the I Love Lucy shaker.
I have a feeling I’d end up on Hoarders. I’ll leave the museum to the professionals.