P & Y museum relocates to Mo
Equipment
I just got that email. I was hoping that is what would happen. More people will get to enjoy P&Y's awesome collection!
They’ve already got a pretty neat archery exhibit upstairs in the store.
What happened to the Bear Museum Collection ? Last I heard it's in storage.
Rooster, that's probably true, P&Y was told the stuff could go to storage for up to 18 months. The people who WANTED to see the museum went to Chatfield. What Jonnie Morris is going to put up will be a shadow of what was in Chatfield, a number of personally owned animals went back to the owners at their request. It won't be the same and that's a shame.
I have not been to the Johnny Morris museum so I may be out of line BUT if the P&Y museum now has anything to do with Bass Pro I feel like it is a huge loss.
It is about like putting Henry Fords first Model T on display in Wal Mart.
Couple thousand visitors a year in Chatfield vs. 10s of thousands, likely more, each year...seems like a win to me in regards to exposure of the club and potential new members. Time will tell I guess.
Matt
Good move as far as club finances. I look at the museum as a minor part of P&Y but others disagree I'm sure.
Been pushing for this ever since Chatfield was chosen. We all know why it was chosen, but only people who really wanted to go there, made the trip. And Chatfield isn't exactly a "destination". In my three visits there I never saw anyone else, and the last two visits no one had signed the guest book for several days. Terrible waste of an amazing resource. This is a great move.
Perhaps this will be a breath of fresh air.
What’s more impressive and impactful a model T in a hidden garage or in the lobby of a Walmart.
If a tree falls in the woods and..............
This will be a good move. Significantly more exposure that will help membership numbers.
Great exposure for P&Y no matter what we think of BP. A big thanks to BP for helping keep the museum alive and exposing P&Y to thousands of more people.
Many outdoorsman don’t have a clue about P&Y. My brother-in-law is an avid fisherman. Had never heard of P&Y or Ishi until I talked about it. Hope many others discover it!!!
Well stated jingalls. The Wonders of Wildlife Museum at Bass Pro World Headquarters is unmatched any where in North America. I’ve been there twice and it is an amazing place.
I used to stop in when it was in the Seattle area and donated a few items. It also was pretty out of the way and was sad to see it move but this move makes it so I’m more likely to stop on my way to Virginia once a year. It’s certainly worth a visit!
With only 1000 visitors a year, it was a smart move both exposure wise and costs saving. It may have that many visitors in one day at the museum(s) in BP-Springfield. I enjoyed seeing it in MN and got a personal tour by one of the greats. But honestly, I only visited it when the convention was in Rochester and/or I was there on Club business. I imagine most are the same.
I never went to Chatfield. Too out of the way. Will probably go see it now.
I, too, got a personal tour from Glenn Hisey. It was cool but a little embarrassing because I was the only one in there (every time). This is a great move.
And now it’s only 20 minutes away from my house. I’ll definitely go see it.
Dann Capra, don't be picken on my favorite store. Wal Mart has a way better hunting dept than Bass Pro.
The farmer prays for rain and the golfer prays for sunshine, even God can’t please everyone.
I've been in Minn. before but where the heck is Chatfield?!
SE corner of the state. Just SE of Rochester.
This has been in the works for a long time. The BP/Cabelas merger put things on hold for a while but I'm glad it is finally happening.
RD mentioned the Fred Bear museum being in storage. Most of it is in storage. BP plans to add a special area for bowhunting. It will include the P&Y Collection, Fred Bear Collection and Archery Hall of Fame. It's unfair to say it will be a shadow of what was in Chatfield. Johnny Morris never does anything half assed. It will be something to see.
In reality, the only people who think this is a bad move are the ones who live near Chatfield and are personally invested in what was there. That is completely understandable, I would probably be upset as well. The Board of Directors strive to do what is best for the Club and all bowhunters. This move will get our collection in front of over a million bowhunters over the next decade.
Shortly after the Club acquired the collection from the St. Charles family and it was moved to Chatfield, Joe St. Charles stated as museum curator.
"It would be great to someday see this collection in a big box store where it can be seen by ten thousand of bowhunters a year"
For anyone who thinks this is a bad move, you have to understand that this was the long term desire of many, including Joe St. Charles, from the day it was moved to Chatfield over 20 years ago.
Thanks to the board and all involved in the move. Bass Pro/Cabelas never has what I want any more but that’s all highly specialized stuff. It will be great to have P&Y in front of so many people. Hopefully there is a PLAN for people to understand what P&Y is and does as they go thru the exhibit. Not just a few membership pamphlets laying on a table...
Thanks for comments Jim. Believe it will now get more exposure. Regrettably never drove up to chatfield as I raced across the country.
Thanks Old School- it appears I went right by there on a trip out West about 10 years ago. Had no idea it was there.
I'm always against the "commercialization" of sports, but in this case I think it was a good decision for the exposure!
Bravo... good move P&Y. The best possible exposure. B&C has their heads and horn collection there... very impressive and I witnessed hundreds walking through it. Ed F
I am glad I was able to see it when it was in Chatfield. Also got a tour from the Hinsey's and they are a world of knowledge. But after seeing it just did not understand why it was in the middle of nowhere, there is too much history to not be appreciated by more people.
Preservation is more important than ever now that bow and arrow hunting and the associated culture is becoming a thing of the past east of the Mississippi.
The value of the place is not that it exists somewhere but that it is visited and used at an optimal level.
I think it's a great move for the club. The more exposure we get, the better.
