You'll be hard-pressed to find another spot in town that evokes the holiday spirit as much as the in Sumner. Right now, the 135 year-old home is decorated with old-fashioned Christmas cheer. There are antique stockings hung over the original fireplaces and many of the Ryan childrens' toys on display under the Christmas tree.
The curator at the Ryan House Museum, Vicki Connor, updates the photo displays at least three times each year; the treasured pieces of Sumner's past are rotated to coincide with community activities.
Visitors can stop by each Saturday and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. from now until Christmas for a spectacular tour of Sumner artifacts. Visiting the museum as well as tours are free. However, the , which runs the museum, recommends that each visitor make a small donation of $1.
The house will be updated again by April to celebrate the Daffodil Festival and Parades. One of the local favorites is the Daffodil Queen's Robe, worn by the very first Daffodil Queen. The museum plans to display nearly 100 years of Ryan family wedding dresses this summer, featuring Lucy Ryan's dress from her wedding to George Ryan, the man who built the first portion of the Ryan House, a cabin in 1860.
