Acclaimed Mobile Museum Debuts at The 2008 National Funeral Directors Association Convention

ORLANDO, Fla., Oct. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- The Museum of Funeral Customs in Springfield, IL, has taken to the road with an inspiring educational mobile exhibit that has people talking. "Amazing! Brings out a lot of things we don't think about," says a recent visitor.

Visitors are referring to Reflections: The American Funeral, which showcases some of the museum's unique collection of funeral objects, photographs and historical documents in a state-of-the-art double-expandable exhibit trailer.

The mobile exhibit is making its official national debut at the 2008 National Funeral Directors Association "Ticket to Paradise" International Convention and Expo in Orlando, FL, on October 12-15, after first being previewed by select audiences at pilot events including the IFDA Convention in Schaumburg, IL; the El Pueblo History Museum in Pueblo, CO; Cypress Lawn Cemetery in San Francisco, CA; the International Route 66 Festival in Springfield, IL; and Patriots' Day 9/11 Commemoration in Lansing, MI. The feedback is overwhelmingly positive.

"Awesome!" "Great educational tool!" "Well-done and needs to be shown more places!"

From the cross-country funeral procession for Abraham Lincoln to the national outpouring of grief for Elvis Presley, America has a rich history of mourning the dead. Reflections: The American Funeral explores these traditions, beginning with Native American burial mounds and ending with the diverse rituals practiced across the country today.

"We created this mobile experience to communicate the valuable role of funeral professionals and their commitment to attend to the needs of families during times of sorrow," says Harry Kurtz, President of MRA, a leading experiential event producer. "There are intriguing stories of funeral practices throughout the centuries and this exhibit educates people on those stories and enables them to connect to the universal human experience of death."

Despite changes in funeral customs over the years, the intrinsic value of a funeral for the living remains. Reflections seeks to reinforce this truth, serving as a reminder that the purpose of funerals extends far beyond caring for remains. The typical American funeral today differs from a few years prior, giving rise to more cremations and even on-line obituaries. But one thing remains unchanged, says funeral director and acclaimed author Thomas Lynch: "A good funeral gets the dead where they need to go and the living where they need to be."

"Death touches all living beings, and grieving humans throughout time have ritualized death as a natural response during the mourning process," says Jon Austin, Executive Director of the Museum of Funeral Customs. "This exhibit showcases and interprets funeral objects, rituals, and customs and their effect on global society."

The tour is dedicated to thousands of individuals, from funeral directors and EMS workers to florists and gravediggers, the countless quiet heroes who go to work every day and help carry the burden of other people's grief.

The mobile exhibit can be previewed at the Sneak Peek Expo Floor Reception at the Orlando County Convention Center on Sunday, October 12th, from 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. It will be on display for convention-goers on Monday, October 13th, through Wednesday, October 15th, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. daily.

Exhibit sponsors include Legacy.com - the leader in the online memorial and obituary market in partnership with over 650 U.S., UK and Canadian newspapers - and Kates-Boylston Publications, the parent company of American Funeral Director magazine, a leading independent trade magazine for funeral directors and other funeral service professionals. Kates-Boylston Publications has been helping funeral professionals succeed and serve for over 130 years.

Additional sponsorship and appearance inquires are welcome and can be submitted to Frank Lorbach at FrankL@goMRA.com.

High resolution images available upon request.

ABOUT MUSEUM OF FUNERAL CUSTOMS

The Museum of Funeral Customs provides the public with a deeper understanding of the history of American funeral and mourning customs, funerary art, and practice; fosters an appreciation of history within the funeral profession; and encourages further study of the subject. Visit http://www.FuneralMuseum.org .

ABOUT MRA

MRA, headquartered in St. Clair Shores, MI, is a marketing resource organization specializing in custom mobile tour vehicle sales and leasing, tour equipment and logistics management. For over 15 years, MRA has provided planning, implementation, logistics and tour management for the mobile marketing and exhibiting objectives of museums and many Fortune 1000 firms in association with leading agencies and exhibit builders worldwide. Contact MRA at (800) 676-3520 or visit http://www.goMRA.com .