When you go to a large museum, and rush through reading panels, you really miss a lot. Going to the Conde-Charlotte Museum, upheld and stewarded by the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), for a tour with Misses Marie and Kim made our day in Mobile memorable and brought Alabama and Mobile history alive.
Charming, they were visibly pleased that our family of 5, with 3 boys ranging in ages from 10-20, actually wanted to visit the house and had not confused it with Fort Conde (we'd already been). Their eyes lit up when we said "No, we are here to see the Conde House", and they were delighted to be able to give us a custom tour long enough but short enough to allow us to get to Oakleigh for their final tour that afternoon.
Miss Kim started us outside with the history and styles of the architecture of the house, the different occupations by imperial nations - Spanish, French, English, American- and then we were handed to Miss Marie who swept us through 2 periods, telling us great stories about the period, the antiques in the room and the people who passed through the house.
Miss Kim did the upstairs for the last 2 periods, with great stories and knowledge of the furniture, methods and materials of those times. She provided a delicious peek at the beautiful French-Spanish styled gardens out back, and the back end of the house, and its transformations during the ages.
Our boys were attentive, a testament to the beguiling stories and manner in which Misses Marie and Kim shared them, no small feat with our kids...We left feeling buoyed by their gracious manners, and enriched by our time with them.