Nevada State Museum in Carson City unveils new First Lady exhibit
A glimpse into Nevada’s First Ladies Ball Gown collection is now on display in the “Nevada Stories: Objects Found In Time” Gallery at the Nevada State Museum in Carson City.
Two artifacts from this fetching and historic collection are featured: The dress worn by Una Reilly Dickerson at the opening of the current Governor’s Mansion in 1909 and the inaugural ball gown worn by Katherine Ong Sisolak in 2019.
“Together, both gowns represent over 100 years of fashion history,” said Jan Loverin, Curator of Clothing and Textiles at the Nevada State Museum. “From hand-made to machine-made, from store-bought to an online purchase, these two dresses show the changes in fashion styles, clothing construction, manufacture, technology and acquisition.”
Loverin points to differences in garment closures as an example. Clothing made before the 1930s featured hook and eye closures rather than zippers, which were introduced later. Gowns at the turn of the 20th Century were usually hand-made by a dressmaker or purchased at a local retail dress shop, Loverin said, whereas today fashions are mass-produced and can be purchased online.
An eye-catching photographic collage showing the rest of the Nevada First Lady Ball Gown collection in stunning detail — 14 gowns from 13 different Nevada First Ladies — completes the exhibit. Every Nevada First Lady since the 1940s has donated her inaugural ball gown to the Nevada State Museum, Loverin said.
“This collection gives us a look into the lives of Nevada’s First Ladies, who played influential roles in their husbands’ administrations, while developing their own interests and passions,” Loverin said.
The Nevada State Museum, located at 600 N. Carson Street in Carson City, is open Tuesdays through Sundays, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Regular museum admission is $10 for adults and free for members and children ages 17 and younger.