Containing decades of New Year’s Day parade pageantry, the Mummers Museum and its wealth of feathery costumes, large-scale props, victor’s prizes, rare instruments, and old photos are there for anyone who’s curious about the art, tradition, and socio-cultural background of mummery. “We are, at heart, a research library for differing sorts of historians and students,” says curator Mark Montanaro, a stand-up bassist for several Philly string bands — until his back gave out.
Parading through the feathered, bedazzled Mummers Museum collection
