Megan
VanVlack

The Cannabis Museum, founded by Don E. Wirstshafter in 2018, has grown its new building in Canaanville, Ohio, after years of work and development. The first floor houses the museum exhibit, gift shop, and event space, where the second floor holds an office space of archived books and artifact cabinets, as well as a small lived-in space. A sign by the door greets people with "We're high, come on in," Sept. 27, 2023.

On the second floor, among the archived items, museum Director, Kristyn Robinson, talks with her daughter, Keely, and museum archivist, Isaac, over the plans for the "Harvest-themed" tea party happening the next day. "We plan for 30 people," Kristyn shares, "I'm excited for tomorrow."

Kristyn organizes the shelves of the glass cabinets on the second floor of the museum, preparing for the events happening the upcoming weekend, including a tea party and a fundraising rally for satire politician, Vermin Supreme. Antique books written about the history of cannabis and old glass containers labeled for different types of medicinal cannabis and cocaine line the cabinet shelves. "We have one of the largest collections of cannabis-related books around," she says, " It's just such a unique collection; not a lot of people have the stuff Don E.'s collected."

Early in the harvest tea party, visitors stop into the museum to look around on Sept. 28, 2023. The current museum exhibit, titled "Hemp and Hackles," follows the process of taking hemp seeds, growing them into plants, and turning those plants into textiles. A disco ball sits in part of the display in preparation for Vermin Supreme's visit coming the next day.

During the tea party, visitors work with Isaac John to make hemp rope as part of the harvest theme for the September party. He explains how to twist the fibers to create a solid rope, using a tool to help the twisting stay consistent. Hemp fibers are pulled from plants, then are twisted in one direction to be turned into yarn. Several yarn strands are twisted together in the opposite direction to create a strong and thick rope.

A hemp plant sits on the patio of the Cannabis Museum. In the background, community members enjoy the tea party, which includes snacks provided by Flour & Thyme, an Athens "micro-bakery," and a hemp tea from the museum.

The Cannabis Museum hosts Vermin Supreme for a fundraising dinner and show after a rally at the Athens County Courthouse on Sept. 29, 2023. Don E. serves dinner to guests outside the building. While introducing Vermin Supreme before his show later in the evening, Wirtshafter says, "I've known Vermin a long time; we've been friends for years." He goes on to add, "The first time I ever saw him, he was leading a small parade of people while holding a disco ball to a rally."

On the front porch of the museum, Star Mary Castro (right) passes a joint to Rose Robinson (left). The porch railing is lined with a garland of artificial hemp leaves and string lights. "Today is just perfect," Star remarks to Rose, "This evening is beautiful."

Outside the building, a painted sign reads "Cannabis Museum," and feature hills and a river. In front, a plastic sign encourages people to vote yes on Issue 2 in November, 2023, which would legalize marijuana. With this upcoming election, the people at the Cannabis Museum have been working to sway other to also vote yes on Issue 2, including information about it at each of their events. Printed papers to register to vote sit on the counter on the second floor of the museum, furhter encouraging the community to use their voice in November. This is all part of their ping-standing and continual mission to increase education and awareness of cannabis.