Search

December 17, 2012

Photo Essay: Hoppy Holidays from The Bunny Museum

A private residence in Pasadena, CA houses the world's largest collection of bunny-related items - nearly 30,000 ornaments, figurines, stuffed animals, ceramics, garden gnomes and more - in addition to a rotating cast of seven live bunnies.

And, like real rabbits, the population of their bunny collectibles is multiplying daily.

The record-breaking collection arose out of the love story between its owners and the proprietors of The Bunny Museum, who have given each other a bunny in some form or another first on holidays, then every day for the last 20 years.



Outside the private residence which houses the museum stands Roller Bunny, one of the many former Rose Parade floats on the property (including some heads in the backyard, one of which has been stripped, plunged into the ground, and is being transformed into a sculpture piece).



Inside the house are any number of seven total live bunnies, which split residence between the museum and the bike shop that the proprietors also run. You can bring food for the bunnies and even pet them...



...though they're shy and like to hide.



Fake bunnies are in abundance inside the house as well...



...including baby figurines dressed as bunnies...



...stuffed and plush bunnies...









...and grinning figurines.





At this time of year, there is also a bunny-themed Christmas tree, including bunny and carrot string lights, carrot canes, and lapine ornaments...



...some of which have been selected and hung by visitors to the museum.



Outside in the back, there's a wondrous garden of rabbit-like gnomes....



...who vigilantly guard the property...



...and greet visitors from around the world.















There are broken shards of bunny ceramics along a walkway, which will soon be turned into a mosaic...



...reminding me of some of the folk art attractions I've visited recently, not only because of the obsessive thematic decor...



...but also because of the growing proliferation of the bunnies, the feeling that even at its maximum capacity, the collection will never be complete.



And, compared to the broken bottles and toilets with which some other artists have surrounded themselves...



...it's hard to blame Steve and Candace of the Bunny Museum.



Who wouldn't want to be surrounded by these adorable creatures?



Of course, one might say they take it a bit far, refusing to shake hands in favor of the "bunny bump" (a variation on a peace sign combined with a fist bump), and wishing you a "Hoppy Holidays"...



...as you depart the "hoppiest place on earth"...



...walking past "Santa Paws," a Christmas bunny lawn ornament.



Is it weird? Insane? Outlandish? It doesn't seem so much to me. If left to my own devices, I might create the same kind of living environment for myself.

Then again, I grew up in a house with a TV in every room, and potholders covering every surface of our kitchen. I'm used to obsessive-collective.

For the full set of photos:


To Like Avoiding Regret on Facebook, click here.

No comments:

Post a Comment