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Museum of Lost Wonder
The Museum of Lost Wonder is a book with a mission, simply To illuminate life's mysteries. The execution is nearly indescribable. Think McSweeney's production values and design pyrotechnics. Think traditional esoteric symbols in a childhood garden of wonder. Think graphic novel and an adult version of the coolest activity book ever made. And you'll be somewhere in the neighborhood. Jeff Hoke has created a history of the human imagination with visual cues and clues and wonderment about and around everything you ever thought and everything you wish you'd been crafty enough to think. He has built a museum accessible to all, in book format, arranged with 7 halls (representing the seven stages of alchemical process) in which the questions of the universe unfold. All one needs to enter is some basic understanding of the human experience. Open The Museum of Lost Wonder , and step into an alternative world full of beautiful drawings, interesting historical tidbits, thoughtful challenges to common myths, and projects and pursuits to complete at home. Pages pull out with cutouts for building models. Hoke's museum is graphic novel meets quantum physics meets mythical journey meets spirit. Hoke begins with The Calcinatio Hall where the featured exhibit is The Beginning of Everything and leads us into halls like The Sublimatio Hall, with the exhibit How To Have Visions. In The Separatio Hall the exhibit Where Are You Going challenges us in our own journey. Through each hall we are led into an exhibit that questions our own understanding of life and urges us into new ways of thinking. As in wandering the great, immense halls of an ancient museum with endless corridors and fascinating exhibits, the reader is instantly pulled into this enormously imaginative pursuit. Each page is full of depth and questions. And each hall features a special foldout interactive page.
176 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2006
9 people are currently reading
304 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
September 12, 2015
Jeff: Hey, Forrest, whattup?
Forrest: Jeff. Good to meet you. I've heard a lot about . . .
J: Wanna see something funny?
F: Yyyyeah . . . sure . . .
J: I've got this really funny joke about sex.
F: There are kids around.
J: Where did they come from.
F: You drove up in an ice cream truck. Of course they're going to flock around you.
J: Okay, okay. So there's this penis that . . .
F: Dude! Children! (points to the kiddies)
J: What?
F: Audience, man. You've got an audience. You shouldn't be telling jokes like that to kids.
J: But why are the kids here?
F: I already explained this. (then, trying to change the subject) Say, I heard you have a degree in, what, philosophy?
J: Esoteric studies. You know: a little philosophy, religion, mysticism, alchemy and such.
F: That's pretty cool. So what is your favorite subject in esoteric studies?
J: Well, stories about creation are cool. And the different temperaments. You know: Sanguine, Melancholic, Phlegmatic, Choleric. Or maybe astrology. No, wait, science, hard science, big bang, quantum mechanics . . . oh, I don't know. Does it matter? It's all good. Except for religion. Religion's just dumb . . . if it's Christian or Jewish . . .
F: Okay, then. Hey, it looks like the kids are wandering off. Did you want to tell a joke?
J: Um, no. Because we've started talking about serious stuff now.
F: But I thought . . .
J: Okay, I can joke about creation myths just about any time. So who was the first business person?
F: I don't know, who?
J: Eve.
F: Okay?
J: Because she made Adam's banana stand!
F: *groan*
J: Ha ha! I'm funny, huh? That was a funny joke, wasn't it? It was funny because it means two things at the same time because "Adam's Banana Stand" could be a business, but it also could be a euphemism because Eve made Adams . . .
F: Yeah. I get it.
J: Ha! Yeah, pretty funny, huh?
F: Um. Yeah. Hilarious.
J: Okay, so let me tell you another joke. So, this one's funny because it uses irony to make fun of the victim of . . .
F: Hold on. Stop! You don't tell someone *why* a joke is funny. You just tell the joke and wait for the reaction.
J: You do? But, it's funny . . . (in a deflated voice)
F: Okay. Okay. Looks like the kids are back now. Must have been your laughing.
J: Can I tell the joke now?
F: What's it about?
J: Suicide! It's hilarious!
F: Whoa, dude. No! Suicide is not funny. And, your audience . . .
J: (looks at the children, makes a sad face) Oh yeah.
F: Suicide is never funny, Jeff.
J: Oh.
(Awkward silence intervenes)
J: But, dude, check out my tattoos!
F: Wha? What does that have to do with anything?
J: Dude . . . my tats . . . they're totally cool!
F: (Examines totally cool tattoos which are, indeed, totally cool) Yeah. They are cool. I'll give you that.
J: So can I tell . . .
F: No! Alright, Jeff. Nice meeting you. I really gotta go. By the way, it looks like some kids are making their way into the ice cream truck.
J: Well, I hope they like Victoria's Secret catalogs, 'cuz . . .
F: (Shakes head, wondering if he shouldn't help herd children out of the ice cream truck, then throws his hands up and walks away when he sees that the kids' parents are already on it)
Forrest: Jeff. Good to meet you. I've heard a lot about . . .
J: Wanna see something funny?
F: Yyyyeah . . . sure . . .
J: I've got this really funny joke about sex.
F: There are kids around.
J: Where did they come from.
F: You drove up in an ice cream truck. Of course they're going to flock around you.
J: Okay, okay. So there's this penis that . . .
F: Dude! Children! (points to the kiddies)
J: What?
F: Audience, man. You've got an audience. You shouldn't be telling jokes like that to kids.
J: But why are the kids here?
F: I already explained this. (then, trying to change the subject) Say, I heard you have a degree in, what, philosophy?
J: Esoteric studies. You know: a little philosophy, religion, mysticism, alchemy and such.
F: That's pretty cool. So what is your favorite subject in esoteric studies?
J: Well, stories about creation are cool. And the different temperaments. You know: Sanguine, Melancholic, Phlegmatic, Choleric. Or maybe astrology. No, wait, science, hard science, big bang, quantum mechanics . . . oh, I don't know. Does it matter? It's all good. Except for religion. Religion's just dumb . . . if it's Christian or Jewish . . .
F: Okay, then. Hey, it looks like the kids are wandering off. Did you want to tell a joke?
J: Um, no. Because we've started talking about serious stuff now.
F: But I thought . . .
J: Okay, I can joke about creation myths just about any time. So who was the first business person?
F: I don't know, who?
J: Eve.
F: Okay?
J: Because she made Adam's banana stand!
F: *groan*
J: Ha ha! I'm funny, huh? That was a funny joke, wasn't it? It was funny because it means two things at the same time because "Adam's Banana Stand" could be a business, but it also could be a euphemism because Eve made Adams . . .
F: Yeah. I get it.
J: Ha! Yeah, pretty funny, huh?
F: Um. Yeah. Hilarious.
J: Okay, so let me tell you another joke. So, this one's funny because it uses irony to make fun of the victim of . . .
F: Hold on. Stop! You don't tell someone *why* a joke is funny. You just tell the joke and wait for the reaction.
J: You do? But, it's funny . . . (in a deflated voice)
F: Okay. Okay. Looks like the kids are back now. Must have been your laughing.
J: Can I tell the joke now?
F: What's it about?
J: Suicide! It's hilarious!
F: Whoa, dude. No! Suicide is not funny. And, your audience . . .
J: (looks at the children, makes a sad face) Oh yeah.
F: Suicide is never funny, Jeff.
J: Oh.
(Awkward silence intervenes)
J: But, dude, check out my tattoos!
F: Wha? What does that have to do with anything?
J: Dude . . . my tats . . . they're totally cool!
F: (Examines totally cool tattoos which are, indeed, totally cool) Yeah. They are cool. I'll give you that.
J: So can I tell . . .
F: No! Alright, Jeff. Nice meeting you. I really gotta go. By the way, it looks like some kids are making their way into the ice cream truck.
J: Well, I hope they like Victoria's Secret catalogs, 'cuz . . .
F: (Shakes head, wondering if he shouldn't help herd children out of the ice cream truck, then throws his hands up and walks away when he sees that the kids' parents are already on it)
January 29, 2009
I had high hopes for The Museum of Lost Wonder, by Jeff Hoke. Beautiful volume--all the elegance, color, and quality paper of a coffee table book, but small enough to actually use. And the title sounded like there would be some fun creative explorations.
The museum format is clever; each topic is encapsulated in a room. Each room is presided over by a Muse, and has a latin name, and a cut-out model to build yourself, and a Gnomon comic, and a lot of short pieces of pithy commentary. It was, indeed, very promising.
Alas, the promise does not fulfill. Take the first topic, "Calcinatio," The Hall of Technology, defined as "Home of all our hopes, fear, and preoccupations with what civiliation has brought us." Whaaaat? OK, let's look a little closer. The Muse is Clio, for history. There are blurbs entitled "The Fire Within," "The First Fire," and "Let There Be Light." It's starting to come together. Until we turn the page, and launch into a spiral model of the universe and a flippant discussion of four creation myths. Then an experiment with a reverberating yawn, jumping rope, and making your own creation myth. Finally, a cut-out model of the universe. And then on to the next topic/room/Muse.
I found the whole thing to be incoherent, albeit beautiful to look at, which at some level made it worse. All that elegant confusion. And the self-aware tone made it impossible to dip in for nuggets of interest, because any relevant facts are obscured by mockery, so nothing can be taken at face value.
To wrap up, I quote the following from the introduction:
Warning: The weary, bored, and disenchanted are welcome in the Museum of Lost Wonder, but there are elements here that are not suitable for closed minds and cold hearts. Side effects may include doubt, irrationality, and synaptic pathway realignment. Enter at your own risk!
Sorry, Mr. Hoke, your expertise in designing museum exhibits does not translate to the literary medium. The side effects are turning out to be boredom, confusion, and irritation.
The museum format is clever; each topic is encapsulated in a room. Each room is presided over by a Muse, and has a latin name, and a cut-out model to build yourself, and a Gnomon comic, and a lot of short pieces of pithy commentary. It was, indeed, very promising.
Alas, the promise does not fulfill. Take the first topic, "Calcinatio," The Hall of Technology, defined as "Home of all our hopes, fear, and preoccupations with what civiliation has brought us." Whaaaat? OK, let's look a little closer. The Muse is Clio, for history. There are blurbs entitled "The Fire Within," "The First Fire," and "Let There Be Light." It's starting to come together. Until we turn the page, and launch into a spiral model of the universe and a flippant discussion of four creation myths. Then an experiment with a reverberating yawn, jumping rope, and making your own creation myth. Finally, a cut-out model of the universe. And then on to the next topic/room/Muse.
I found the whole thing to be incoherent, albeit beautiful to look at, which at some level made it worse. All that elegant confusion. And the self-aware tone made it impossible to dip in for nuggets of interest, because any relevant facts are obscured by mockery, so nothing can be taken at face value.
To wrap up, I quote the following from the introduction:
Warning: The weary, bored, and disenchanted are welcome in the Museum of Lost Wonder, but there are elements here that are not suitable for closed minds and cold hearts. Side effects may include doubt, irrationality, and synaptic pathway realignment. Enter at your own risk!
Sorry, Mr. Hoke, your expertise in designing museum exhibits does not translate to the literary medium. The side effects are turning out to be boredom, confusion, and irritation.
January 6, 2013
Great for young teens or adults, one can tell early on that Jeff Hoke has a strong background in metaphysical doctrines of the ages. No wonder, for he was a student at Exeter. The book is outlined by the alchemical process and throws in quantum physics that would make Michio Kaku proud, myth and folklore Joseph Campbell would love, and enough underlying esoteric concepts any student of the Western Mystery Tradition or Eastern paths would (should) instantly recognize. All this is done simply by suggesting correlations between different fields of study while causing the reader to think for themselves. The artwork and presentation is one of a kind and serves as a thoughtful introduction to those turned off from reading centuries old books where this stuff is drawn from.
The experiments are simple and fun, I would love to try the origami activities included but am easily confused by "cut here" "fold there" instructions! I would love to study more books like this that enable the reader to be presented with various philosophical, psychological, spiritual, occult, and cultural concepts and investigate what correlates for themselves. This is the direction "new age" should be following. The major key element other attempts lack is a philosophy and Jeff Hoke's "Museum of Lost Wonder" has it.
The experiments are simple and fun, I would love to try the origami activities included but am easily confused by "cut here" "fold there" instructions! I would love to study more books like this that enable the reader to be presented with various philosophical, psychological, spiritual, occult, and cultural concepts and investigate what correlates for themselves. This is the direction "new age" should be following. The major key element other attempts lack is a philosophy and Jeff Hoke's "Museum of Lost Wonder" has it.
June 25, 2025
I think I picked this up years ago, probably at a Half Price Bookstore, but just got around to trying to read it. The concept looks really interesting - a museum in a book, complete with some interesting models you can make yourself. While beautifully illustrated, the content is, frankly, awful. If reawakening the human imagination means creating your own scrying mandalas, using arcane and esoteric lore as if they are more valid than anything else, and valuing astrology over astronomy, then maybe this is the book for you. I can't think of one person I would recommend this to. Demeaning tone, nonsense at best and purposefully subversive and destructive at worst. Skip it.
May 15, 2018
This is basically a rainy day activity book of Esotericism. It's wordy, a bit stuffy and self-important, but fascinating and a good loosening to the astral sphincter.
I basically just studied each of the seven rooms throughout the week and read the lesson, and did the though experiment. I withheld from taking out the fold-out curious, as I may regift it.
There's nothing quite like it, other than Alan Moore's eventual "Moon and Serpent Bumper Book of Magic".
This is the perfect kind of gift for a weird uncle to give to a child to subvert them.
I basically just studied each of the seven rooms throughout the week and read the lesson, and did the though experiment. I withheld from taking out the fold-out curious, as I may regift it.
There's nothing quite like it, other than Alan Moore's eventual "Moon and Serpent Bumper Book of Magic".
This is the perfect kind of gift for a weird uncle to give to a child to subvert them.
April 15, 2008
What do you think of when you hear the word museum? Do you see glass encased exhibits with little tags of text beside various artifacts? Can you hear someone complaining about the loud whispers that can be heard? Can you feel the boredom setting in?
The Museum of Lost Wonder is an example of a completely different kind of museum. The pages of this book lead the reader on a journey of exploration and freedom of thought. Instead of stuffy scientific displays, this museum encourages the visitor to wonder and ask all of those questions that they always wanted to ask but thought they'd sound foolish or be glared at for even coming up with the idea.
This book is divided into eight alchemy themed exhibit halls: Calinatio (technology), Solutio (aquaria), Coagulatio (zoological), Sublimatio (observatory), Mortificatio (history), Separatio (science and faith), Conjunctio (arts), and Circulatio (the entrance and exit). Within each of these sections readers explore scientific, mythological, spiritual, and fantastic renditions that explain our world. Many of the exercises encourage visitors to use their creativity to come up with alternative explanations, to explore their own questions, to try various experiments, and to construct models of the various exhibit halls.
The Museum of Lost Wonder is an example of a completely different kind of museum. The pages of this book lead the reader on a journey of exploration and freedom of thought. Instead of stuffy scientific displays, this museum encourages the visitor to wonder and ask all of those questions that they always wanted to ask but thought they'd sound foolish or be glared at for even coming up with the idea.
This book is divided into eight alchemy themed exhibit halls: Calinatio (technology), Solutio (aquaria), Coagulatio (zoological), Sublimatio (observatory), Mortificatio (history), Separatio (science and faith), Conjunctio (arts), and Circulatio (the entrance and exit). Within each of these sections readers explore scientific, mythological, spiritual, and fantastic renditions that explain our world. Many of the exercises encourage visitors to use their creativity to come up with alternative explanations, to explore their own questions, to try various experiments, and to construct models of the various exhibit halls.
January 4, 2011
I liked the whimsical premise of this book and would love to try building some of the awesome models it includes (unfortunately the copy I read was from the library). Some of the more new age-y parts of it get a little over-convoluted and I had a hard time in some places telling whether it was intended for adult or child audiences, but I liked the larger themes of wonder and creativity that it explores and I think using a museum of the framing device with beautiful illustrations was unique and compelling.
April 17, 2014
If I could, I'd give it a 4.5. This is a visually stunning, wide-reaching book that discusses philosophies, religions, science, and wonder, and asks you to participate by making models, trying different mind-bending exercises, and by asking questions. The author's irreverent history of museums and his take on Stephen Covey's 7 Habits are both hysterical.
April 5, 2008
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!
April 15, 2008
alchemy. be your own crucible.
December 15, 2010
Just plain weird.
Want to read
December 31, 2009Xmas gift 2009
May 13, 2014
While the concept and illustrations are bizarre and thrilling, I've read better explanations for the unusual concepts the book describes. It's also just to weird to be taken seriously all together.
Want to read
December 27, 2009Given to me by Liv on Christmas 2009
Want to read
June 8, 2015postponed until fall.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews