Peterborough Museum & Archives Displays Images of Canada’s Triumphs and Tribulations

Canada’s triumphs, failures and sacrifices are displayed at Peterborough Museum & Archives (PMA) in a new travelling exhibition from the Canadian Museum of History and Canada’s History Society.

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Snapshots of Canada will be presented from Dec. 12 to March 23, showcasing unforgettable images and thought-provoking texts.

The exhibition pairs 50 powerful photographs with texts by well-known Canadian historians, authors, and journalists, covering topics ranging from the trial of Métis leader Louis Riel to Paul Henderson’s winning goal in the 1972 Summit Series and from the deportation of Japanese Canadians after the Second World War to the standoff at Oka.

"The PMA is thrilled to host this exhibit," said Kim Reid, Curator of the Peterborough Museum & Archives. "It will create lasting memories for our visitors—memories that become the stories we love to share."

“The Canadian Museum of History is delighted to share Snapshots of Canada with the people of Peterborough,” said Caroline Dromaguet, President and CEO of the Canadian Museum of History. “The exhibition invites visitors to relive both iconic and lesser-known moments that have shaped Canada’s history.”

The photographs, ranging from depictions of high drama to simple joy, were drawn from “100 Photos That Changed Canada (2009)” and “100 Days That Changed Canada (2011)”, published by Canada’s History and HarperCollins Canada. The images and accompanying text explore Canada from four perspectives: Building a Country, Living Together, Seeking Justice and Celebrating Culture. Contributors include literary non-fiction writer Charlotte Gray, best-selling novelist Lawrence Hill, historian Desmond Morton, archivist Jim Burant, award-winning military historian Tim Cook, and journalist Peter Mansbridge.

“We selected the photos for their emotional impact, their aesthetic appeal, their uniqueness, and the significance of the subject they depict,” said Mark Reid, Editor-in-Chief of Canada’s History Society and the editor of the two bestselling books that inspired the exhibition. “But most of all, we chose them for the way they reflect who we were, who we are today, and who we can aspire to become as Canadians.”

Other emblematic events covered in the exhibition include the fight for women’s rights, the residential school system, the election of the Parti Québécois and the second sovereignty referendum, the Winnipeg General Strike, the legalization of same-sex marriage and Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope.

Snapshots of Canada will be presented at the Peterborough Museum & Archives, 300 Hunter St. E., from Dec. 12, to March 23. The arrival of this powerful exhibit will be celebrated with a public opening on Dec. 12 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

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Peterborough Museum & Archives Marking 57th Anniversary With 'Beyond the Galleries ' Tour

The Peterborough Museum & Archives (PMA) will mark the anniversary of its opening 57 years ago on Oct. 27 with Beyond the Galleries tours.   

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Visitors will look in-depth at rarely-seen items in the PMA’s extensive collection. The tours, guided by the knowledgeable PMA Curatorial Team, promise an intimate experience with a collection that reflects the Peterborough community's heritage, art and culture. 

Tours start at 12:15 p.m., 1:15 p.m., 2:15 p.m. and 3:15 p.m.

Tickets are $10 per person (plus HST) and available for purchase online in person at the PMA or by phone at 705-743-5180.

Each tour will last 45 minutes and can accommodate up to 20 participants.  

In addition to Beyond the Galleries, the Holodomor Mobile Classroom will be on-site on Oct. 27, offering visitors even more opportunities to explore and engage.

The Holodomor National Awareness Tour (HNAT) is a project of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation, a not-for-profit charitable organization. According to the foundation, the mandate of the project is to build bridges among communities to promote inter-culture understanding, awareness and respect for the democratic values that Canadians hold dear. This includes the importance of human rights, the rule of law and human dignity, told through the lens of the Holodomor Famine-Genocide in Ukraine of 1932-1933.

Visits to the Holodomor Mobile Classroom are free of charge.

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Peterborough Museum and Archives Celebrates China With “Chinese Languages in Canada” Exhibit

The Peterborough Museum & Archives will host an exhibit, ‘Chinese languages in Canada,’ to celebrate its richness, organized by the Canadian Language Museum in the Heideman exhibit space from June 22 to Sept. 15.

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Since 1788, Chinese languages have been integral to Canadian society, enriching its cultural tapestry. Over 1.4 million people across every province and territory speak Chinese languages.

The exhibit allows visitors to see the historical journey of Chinese languages in Canada, including Mandarin, Cantonese, Hakka and others. Visitors will be able to hear the different languages, learn about their impacts on Canadian culture and enjoy engaging interactive displays. The PMA will also feature the story of early Chinese immigration to Peterborough and their long-standing contributions to our local community.

As part of opening day celebrations, the Museum will also offer themed crafts and family-friendly activities from noon until 5 p.m.

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Peterborough Museum & Archives Recognized By the Canadian Museums Association With National Award

The Peterborough Museum & Archives has been recognized with the Canadian Museums Association Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Exhibitions category for “To Honour and Respect: Gifts from the Michi Saagiig Women to the Prince of Wales, 1860” (April to November 2023) announced on Thursday.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The award was presented at a ceremony held on Wednesday.

The exhibition “To Honour and Respect” featured 13 quilled wiigwassii makakoon (birch bark baskets) lent by His Majesty The King from the Royal Collection in the United Kingdom. The makakoon were created by highly skilled women of what is now Hiawatha First Nation. The stunning makakoon were gifts to the Prince of Wales on Sept. 7, 1860, when he visited Hiawatha as part of a cross-Canada royal tour.

The many visitors admired the beautiful quillwork and explored the cultural knowledge, love, respect, and diplomacy that went into the makakoon, reflecting on Michi Saagiig and settler histories in the region. Indigenous-led programming included gallery tours, workshops on quillwork provided by Hiawatha First Nation artist Sandra Moore, and sessions on Michi Saagiig language provided by Curve Lake First Nation member Jonathan Taylor.

“Congratulations to the entire team at the Peterborough Museum & Archives, to the To Honour and Respect Planning Circle, the guest curators Dr. Lori Beavis and Dr. Laura Peers, and to the Royal Collection Trust for this well-deserved recognition. The exhibition truly symbolizes the massive contributions of both Indigenous and non-Indigenous voices, perspectives, and institutions,” said Gayle McIntyre, past Chair of the Peterborough Museum & Archives Advisory Committee.

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Peterborough Museum and Archives Announce New Exhibit With Fleming College

Fleming College students and Peterborough Museum & Archives have launched a new exhibit ‘Words & Beyond: How Communication Brings Us Together’ that started Saturday.

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The Peterborough Museum & Archives is curating the exhibit by Fleming College’s Museum Management and Curatorship program students that explores how communication has shaped Peterborough and the surrounding area.

Everyone is invited to visit the exhibit to discover how we connect and the wider world.

It opened in the Heideman exhibit space on Saturday and continues until June 16. The official exhibit will open on April 17 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., featuring music, snacks and activities.

“We’re excited to share this fun, new exhibit by the talented up-and-coming museum professionals from Fleming. Communication shapes our lives now more than ever, but has also played a key role in our local history,” said Susan Neale, Peterborough Museum and Archives director. “There’s so much to say so come talk about it.”

Admission is by donation. The PMA is wheelchair and stroller-accessible and free parking is available.

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Peterborough Museum & Archives Granted the 2023 Tourism Award By Peterborough Chamber

Peterborough Museum & Archives has been recognized with the 2023 Tourism Award by the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce, presented at the Chamber’s Excellence Awards ceremony at The Venue on Wednesday.

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“Peterborough Museum & Archives delivers exceptional programming and curates exhibits showcasing our history and culture,” said Councillor Matt Crowley. “It creates exhibits that are both local and speak to broader societal topics, like the fascinating Michi Saagiig basket exhibit that draws interest from our community and from throughout the greater region.”

He also congratulated the other finalists in the Tourism category: Kawartha Country Wines and Otonabee Region Conservation Authority, for their activities that contribute to the success of the Peterborough Region.

Award recipients and finalists for all the Excellence Awards categories are available online.

Peterborough Museum & Archives is a City of Peterborough service and facility that promotes local heritage and culture, providing various programs, special events and exhibitions. It is located at 300 Hunter St. E., next to Ashburnham Memorial Park on Armour Hill, in Peterborough.

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Peterborough Museum & Archives' Newest Exhibition Terry Fox: Running To The Heart Of Canada Is On Loan From Canadian Museum of History

Peterborough Museum & Archives' newest exhibition titled Terry Fox: Running to the Heart of Canada is a must see for people of all ages.

The exhibition is on loan from the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Quebec, with support from the Terry Fox Foundation, and will be on-site in Peterborough for public viewing until Sunday, December 9th.

Photo courtesy Peterborough Museum & Archives

The exhibition provides a unique look at Terry’s epic 143-day, 3,339-mile (5,373-kilometre) journey from St. John’s, Newfoundland, to Thunder Bay, Ontario in 1980. It explores Canadians’ deep and abiding affection for Terry and examines his unique place in our collective memory.

Developed by the Canadian Museum of History in partnership with Terry Fox’s family, the exhibition traces Terry’s journey and shows the impact he had on modern Canadian life—the numerous schools, community centres and features of the landscape named for him, and the Canadian coins, stamps and passports bearing his image.

Photo courtesy Peterborough Museum & Archives

“During the Marathon of Hope and the months that followed, Canadians filled our home in Port Coquitlam, B.C., with scrapbooks, written tributes and gifts reflecting a collective compassion and admiration for Terry's unselfish act,” says Darrell Fox, Terry’s brother. “More than 35 years later, it is time to share the Terry Fox collection and the compelling story that the memorabilia evoke with the world.

Photo courtesy Peterborough Museum & Archives

The Canadian icon’s coast-to-coast journey in 1980 ended near Thunder Bay, when the cancer that had claimed his leg returned, forcing Terry to abandon the project.

He died a national hero in June 1981, at the age of 22, having collected some $24 million. To date, more than $700 million has been raised in his name for cancer research.

Terry Fox – Running to the Heart of Canada is being presented at The Peterborough Museum & Archives (300 Hunter Street East) from September 29th until December 9th.

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