A Museum Discovery

On this happiest of April 1sts . . .

Happy April Fools’ Day! It seems we have a rare unicorn cat at the Harrison House.

It may seem silly, but did you know that this holiday does have historic roots? It originated in France, where it may have been connected to Easter celebrations. To this day in France, April 1st is celebrated with “le poisson d’avril”—the April fish. These days, the phrase usually refers to a paper fish taped to someone’s back as a gentle prank.

Even serious “Curator Cats” like Frankie enjoy a chance to play around!