PAMA and Local Government

Within this post, I am going to reflect on visits to one of my favourite community museums – the Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives (PAMA).

PAMA is interesting from a community museum policy perspective because they are relatively well resourced due to local support, demonstrating the significance of regional governments to heritage. The Museum employs full time, year round staff at levels that are rare for community museums in what we now call Canada. Their staff is doing a lot of interesting work in museum design, community building and decolonization.

Background

PAMA and Local Support

The Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives (PAMA) has an excellent video on their history:

Click here if you would like a summary of the video above.

The Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives has roots in the 1930s with the collection of author William Perkins Bull and (later) the Peel County Historical Society. In the 1960s, some of the women’s institutes started a museum in a small cottage that opened seasonally. One of these institutes began advocating for a permanent museum in collaboration with the Peel County Historical Society. They opened in the Peel County Land Registry Office as the Peel Museum and Art Gallery in 1968. In 1977, the nearby jail was renovated and became part of the Peel Heritage Complex, which also housed an archive. In 2010-2012, they closed for an extensive expansion project and reopened in 2013 as PAMA with four interconnected heritage buildings.

When the Regional Municipality of Peel was created in 1974, they took over ownership of the museum and art gallery collections. They took over management a decade later in 1984 (Moreau 2018). I could not find an explanation for why ownership and then management transferred to the regional municipality. However, there are two likely explanations.

First, I may have misunderstood and the collections were previously owned by Peel County rather than the historical society or women’s institutes then transferred to the regional municipality when the county dissolved. However, the transfer of community museums from non profit to municipal ownership (then later, management) was relatively common in Ontario at the time due. So, provincial community policy is another possible explanation.

In the early 1970s, the provincial operating grant for community museums was still restricted and inaccessible to museums owned by a non profit. Some non profits transferred ownership to the municipality in order to get funding but continued to manage the space. In the 1980s (after non profits became eligible for the funding), the provincial museum advisors were implementing standards for community museums attached to the grant. They often encouraged more municipal involvement, which could lead to more paid staff positions sustained support from municipalities. Municipally owned museums were better positioned to leverage provincial support and the new standards to increase their local support.

Although PAMA receives funding from all levels of government, the local level is the most significant. Their 2026 budget presentation lists $46,250 in grants from the federal and provincial governments (PAMA 2026a). In comparison, Peel Region contributes almost $6 million to the Museum’s budget. Notably, the region includes the municipalities of Mississauga, Brampton, and Caledon. The regional tax levy is approximately, $3.5 million from Mississauga, $2.1 million from Brampton, and $0.4 million from Caledon (Valeri 2026).

In 2023, the Provincial government announced their intention to dissolve Peel Region, but quickly reversed this decision (Peel Region 2026). Discussions about the creation of a more cost efficient regional government continued (PAMA 2023). After an Intermunicipal Working examined the implications of transferring the Museum’s to the lower level municipalities (Valeri 2025), the Regional Council approved PAMA’s transfer to the City of Brampton (where the Museum is located), excluding the archives (Valeri 2026). The City of Brampton has positioned the transfer as part of ongoing revitalization efforts and positive because they gain an asset (the building and collection) valued at more than $60 million (City of Brampton 2026).

Since the City of Brampton will now be responsible for the entirety of the local contribution to the Museum’s budget, I plan to keep paying attention to the funding situation. PAMA accomplishes all the amazing things that I discuss below in the reflection because of their resources (mainly, I think, funding for staff positions). I am looking forward to seeing what the transfer means for the Museum’s future!

Side note: Some of the documents say the transfer will be effective January 2027. However, the most recent documents and resolutions that I accessed note January 2028.

Visiting PAMA

PAMA was one of the first museums that my little one visited as an infant and we’ve enjoyed the experience enough to keep going back.

In 2026, we visited twice and focused on the museum side of the space. Both times, we saw the following exhibits:

During my January visit, I also saw:

Land, Sea, Sky: Inuit Art from PAMA’s Collection (Finished March 29, 2026)
Remember, Resist, Redraw: A Radical History Poster Project (Project information available here)
All Aboard! The Railways of Peel (I found an end date of October 2025, but did visit the exhibit after that date)

During my recent visit, I saw:

For both visits, I had a toddler with me and did not get to spend as much time in the space as I would have liked. As such, I focused on the objects and interactives then took pictures / videos so I could read at home. While not an ideal way to visit a museum, I am not an ideal visitor and it works well for me.

Reflection

The reflection will start with some general impressions then a review of the four exhibits that we spent the most time exploring – Stories of Home: Finding Community and Belonging in Peel, PAMA Collects: Connections Between Us, Spotlight: Selections from the Museum Collection, and This is How we do it: Creating Museum Exhibitions.

The Peel Art Gallery, Museum, and Archives clearly designs their exhibitions with children and accessibility in mind. Most of the exhibit spaces have interactives that are designed to appeal to children and adults. For example:

Liminal space design: There is a small room between two galleries. On one side, there is a core exhibit (Yours to Discover) that displays art from their collection, reflecting a sense of place. On the other side, there are temporary art exhibits. The room connecting the spaces has a desk with a colouring activity that changes based on the temporary exhibit. The room also contains seating and books on the theme.

During my first visit, I looked at the pictures others had done and considered the connections between the two exhibits using the prompts in the room. During my second visit, my toddler was behaving well and engrossed in the colouring. This enabled me to read the panels in the Witness Blanket exhibit (that were within the sight line of the liminal space). I could have also coloured with my little or taken time to look through the books and think about reconciliation.

Temporary exhibit design: All Aboard! The Railways of Peel (January visit) and Spotlight: Selections from the Museum Collection (June visit) were in the same gallery space. They have an interactive table in the gallery at toddler height. For the All Aboard! exhibit, the table had wooden train tracks with posters on the wall behind it. For the Spotlight exhibit, the table had puzzles and there was also a magnetic puzzle at a higher height on the wall behind it. While neither entertained my little for long enough that I could truly engage with the exhibit, they bought me some time.

Interactives are not the only way children are included in the space. The exhibit Visual Voices: Exploring Identity is an exhibit of art responding to the theme of identity by elementary students. The work is really impressive, but I was most impressed by the way the exhibit was designed differently. They installed the art at a lower height than typically seen (e.g., the height of installation in their Yours to Discover exhibit). My little loved it. They had a huge grin on their face as they walked around and pointed at the art they liked.

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Another thing that I appreciate about PAMA, is the evidence throughout the space that decolonization work is ongoing. Most notably, Indigenous Peoples are not relegated to a single exhibit or space in the narrative. For example, Remember Resist Redraw is not an exhibit about Indigenous histories but includes Indigenous histories as part of the radical history poster project. There are also versions of land acknowledgements visible in multiple places, including at the start of different exhibits as I will mention in the reflection below.

Stories of Home: Finding Community and Belonging in Peel

Core exhibit

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While there are multiple possible routes through the space, our visit started in a small gallery that provides the historical context for Peel today, discussing how places are named. The first panel I encountered states, “Indigenous people have always lived here.” The panel goes on to provide treaty information and a QR code to learn more.

As I entered the main exhibit gallery, the first thing that I saw was the prompt “My story of home is…” surrounded by words (e.g., Refugee, Indigenous, Freedom Seeker, Newcomer, etc.) and hooks with different coloured paper where people have written about their experiences. The exhibit includes content from both community partners and the Museum, such as artifacts and photos alongside different themes (e.g., arrival). The content is celebratory and invites audiences to think about what makes a space home, but also contains some difficult histories.

Stories of Peel is the only non-meta exhibit that I am expanding on in this reflection because it speaks to identity. I am interested in the ways regional identity is (re)constructed in museum spaces. Here are a few things that stood out to me as significant:

The exhibit emphasizes that there are multiple stories of home without seeming to privilege one group or path.

Exhibitions on regional identity in community museums often attempt to create a cohesive narrative that presents one kind of story of home. A common example in what we now call Ontario is a narrative that states or implies “we’re all immigrants here.” Alternatively, there is an emphasis on founding a municipality or the stories of the largest group of people who came to the place. Stories of Home makes a deliberate effort to present differences, acknowledging that there is not one story of home. This point is emphasized in the artistic interpretations and in a display with individuals’ reflections responding to the prompt – what is a home.

Indigenous Peoples are included within the exhibit in multiple places.

The contextual information discusses Indigenous place names, “Indigenous” is included as a possible label for individuals at the beginning, and there is a panel on Indigenous-Settler relationships. I did not read every didactic or look at every item (due to my toddler), but assume there are likely other inclusions at the individual level. Notably, there is a display of keepsakes as well as written and artistic responses to the question – what is home? This content seems to present the perspectives of a diverse group of people.

A section of the exhibit is designed for children and families.

There is a kitchen space with interactives for kids beside a living room area with couches and reading materials. Within the kitchen space, there are multiple ways for children to engage, including kitchen toys, drawers that open, and colouring sheets. The table in the kitchen provides conversation prompts that would be great starting points for conversation amongst a group of mixed ages coming to the exhibit, such as: What stories can art and photos tell?

There are multiple kinds of entry points to consider the question of home.

Personally, I like considering history and large questions through the lens of artifacts and labels. I also enjoy interactives that provide more detailed information on individual stories. However, clearly other people think differently. I enjoyed seeing additional ways of considering home, such as: artistic considerations, question prompts, a community board with resources, and QR codes.

The exhibit also starts with two interrelated but distinct questions that provide different entry points into the exhibit. One theme is – what is your story of home? The other is – what does home mean? There are questions throughout the space related to these two themes that, I believe, appeal to different people and provide different ways to engage with the content.

They recognize that perspectives and life experiences are missing from their exhibit.

I think it’s important for museums to leave space in exhibits like this for whatever they may have missed. When museums claim to tell an entire story, they imply anything missing from the story isn’t relevant or important.

The panel acknowledging there are untold stories notes there will be a series of changes over the next five years. I am interested to continue to visit and see how the exhibit evolves.

PAMA Collects: Connections Between Us

November 22, 2025 to Fall 2026

Unfortunately, I was not able to fully experience the exhibition on either visit. It is in what I consider a liminal (inbetween) space that resembles a hallway sandwiched between two exhibition galleries. The long narrow shape of the space influences the design and there is nothing in the space that grabbed my child’s attention. In cases like this, I take lots of pictures. To be fair, I always take lots of pictures. However, sometimes, the pictures are how I get to read the panels and more fully appreciate the content of an exhibit. I am glad that I took these pictures because the exhibit is incredibly interesting from a museum development perspective.

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The exhibit provides information on the Museum’s history and, while not stated as such, addresses the question – why does this museum exist? It emphasizes the community’s role in establishing the museum’s collection and the ways the objects collected are connected to the community. They argue that through their collection, we learn and make connections, which helps build community.

Considering the context above, I wonder when they scheduled and planned the exhibit. To what extent did conversations about their value to the municipalities and region that began in 2023 inform the content?

Spotlight: Selections from the Museum Collection

March 14, 2026, to Spring 2027

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Spotlight is interesting because it reflects three principles that I have noticed underlining PAMA’s exhibitions:

They are engaged in decolonization work. My journey through the exhibit space started with a land acknowledgement that includes treaty information and a qr code for more information. Typically, community museums have one land acknowledgement as visitors enter the space, but the acknowledgement is not connected to the content within the space. PAMA is notable for making those connections in each space.

They are using collections to preserve diverse stories of home and connect to the community, reflecting the role of the museum articulated in the PAMA collects exhibit. The displays in Spotlight highlight a variety of individual artifacts that reflect diverse people. They also display different collections that reflect different families and communities. The items represent different kinds of artifacts in their collection as well as different stories that can be told through the collection.

They create inclusive spaces that work well for different people, including children and families. As noted above, the entrance to the exhibit includes a magnetic puzzle on the wall and another puzzle at toddler height under the caption “Pieces of history.”

There is space for visitor contributions. Most of the exhibits in PAMA contain space for visitor reflections. I am interested in learning more about how this exhibit may be acting as a site of research for future collections work. There is a station for people to reflect on objects that represent something important to them and why. If people engage with the reflection table, it will become an interesting artifact all on its own. To what extent this table is a deliberate research tool for the museum that could inform future collecting practices?

This is How we do it: Creating Museum

Unclear (There is no end date listed, but I believe it was originally a temporary exhibit as some information online has a November 2024 end date for the exhibit. It was also closed when I visited in January)

The exhibition walks visitors through the process of creating an exhibit. Starting with information on the different people involved in the process (in a larger / well resourced museum), it provides prompts that encourage visitors to think about how they would design an exhibition (e.g., What is the big idea? What are the facts?). The exhibit discusses the different things that need to be considered when designing an exhibition (e.g., conservation, color, layout, lighting).

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Aside from the content (I love a meta exhibit), here are some things that work really well:

The illustrations are amazing and an integral part of the exhibit. They are used to illuminate key ideas in an interesting way. At the entrance, there are cards with illustrations of different museum visitors on one side (e.g., experience seeker, explorer) and prompts on the other. Visitors (or at least those comfortable at a low table) are invited to colour the illustration and/or engage in a challenge specific to their visitor type. Illustrations throughout the exhibit also provide insight into the different roles in a museum and steps in the creation of an exhibit.

There are interactives in the centre of the room at a great height for children and stools for taller people to sit and engage. I was able to visit the exhibit and read all of the panels because my toddler was fully engrossed in the layout and visitor flow activity. They did not really understand what they were doing, but had fun laying out all of the pieces to make an image. They required very little input from me.

Each step in the process includes an interactive element to illustrate the core idea. Some of these were simple. For example, the panel on how to tell stories included a display with two potential labels and invited visitors to reflect on which was more effective. Other activities involve more active engagement. There are tools to learn about colour theory and a lux reader. There is also a booklet, which we did not do because my toddler is young and I wanted the chance to read panels, that encourages visitors to use the prompts and activities (e.g., a spinning wheel to choose the idea) to plan their own exhibit.

I would love to know how the general public has engaged with the exhibit and what prompted its development. It is such a good idea!!!! I hope to be able to return one day without a toddler in tow (or with sister who can help with the toddler) so that I can do the booklet.

Questions

Throughout the reflection, I asked some questions. So, some of these are repeats and some of these are new.

I have questions pertaining to the museum’s transfer:

The documents that I read noted the Region would remove PAMA’s approximately $6 million budget from their tax levy in 2027. However, they also note the archives are excluded from the transfer. I am curious what the archives budget is and how their budget will be funded in 2027 (2028?). Has it already been removed from the figures that I am accessing?
I am curious about the Museum’s name and whether that will change or not. Despite the single municipality gaining ownership, the collection still represents Peel Region.
Will the transfer influence ongoing capital projects?

Considering the ongoing political context, I have questions related to the exhibits:

How has the context shaped the exhibit schedules?
To what extent did conversations about their value to the municipalities and region that began in 2023 inform exhibit content?
What will future collecting practices look like with respect to Regional vs. more local municipal representation?
The collection is being transferred to Brampton municipality intact. Are there plans to eventually transfer items in the collection to Missisauga?

As a visitor, some less niche questions are:

Was the installation of “This is How we do it” extended? If so, why?
Are there a lot of family visitors?

References

City of Brampton. 2026, April 24. “City of Brampton strengthening investment in arts and culture by assuming ownership and operations of Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives.” Accessed June 22, 2026. https://www.brampton.ca/EN/City-Hall/News/Pages/News-Release.aspx/1657

City of Mississauga. 2026, April 24. “Mississauga supports the transition of PAMA to Brampton.” Accessed June 19, 2026. https://www.mississauga.ca/city-of-mississauga-news/news/mississauga-supports-the-transition-of-pama-to-brampton/

Jordan, R. 1990, Oct 18. Peel museum keeps up to date with history: [WES edition]. Toronto Star Accessed June 22, 2026. https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/peel-museum-keeps-up-date-with-history/docview/436294074/se-2

Moreau, Nick. 2018. “Peel County Museum at Belfountain.” Accessed June 26, 2026. https://archive.org/details/peel-museum-at-belfountain-1963-1971/mode/1up

PAMA. 2023. Year in Review: Report to the Community. Accessed June 19, 2026. https://www.pama.peelregion.ca/sites/default/files/2024-05/PHC-0129-2023%20Year%20in%20Review-DIGITAL%20FINAL%20%281%29.pdf

PAMA. Accessed June 19, 2026a. Budget 2026: Heritage, Arts, and Culture. https://peelregion.ca/sites/default/files/2025-11/budget_2026_heritage_arts_and_culture_presentation.pdf

PAMA. Accessed June 24, 2026b. Stories of Home: Finding Community and Belonging in Peel. https://www.pama.peelregion.ca/exhibitions/stories-home-finding-community-and-belonging-peel

PAMA. Accessed June 25, 2026c. PAMA Collects: Connections Between Us. https://www.pama.peelregion.ca/exhibitions/upcoming-exhibitions/pama-collects-connections-between-us

PAMA. Accessed June 25, 2026d. Spotlight: Selections from the Museum Collection. https://www.pama.peelregion.ca/exhibitions/spotlight-additions-museum-collection

PAMA. Accessed June 25, 2026e. This is How We Do It: Creating Museum Exhibitions. https://www.pama.peelregion.ca/exhibitions/how-we-do-it-creating-museum-exhibitions

Peel Region. Accessed June 19, 2026. “Bakground: Peel’s Review.” https://peelregion.ca/transition/service-transfer-background

Valeri, Davinder. 2025. Implications of Transferring Peel Art Gallery Museum and Archives (PAMA) to the Local Municipalities as Directed by Peel Regional Council. Accessed June 19, 2026. https://pub-peelregion.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=41538

Valeri, Davinder. 2026. Peel Art Gallery Museum and Archives (PAMA) Business and Transition Planning Framework. Accessed June 22, 2026. https://pub-peelregion.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=45036

An Imperfect Visitor to Imperfect Places

I am an imperfect visitor. As much as I love museums, sometimes I struggle to engage with their content. Within this post, I am going to outline some of the places I would like to go back to and why. Usually, it’s a combination of being an imperfect visitor to imperfect places designed with an ideal visitor in mind.

Click here for an updated list of 2026 museum visits (I have combined visits so sites are only listed once)

Toronto Zoo (4 visits; Free visit with library pass and the I purchased a membership)
Museum of Toronto at Harbourfront Centre, Mr. Dressup to Degrassi (January 9, by donation)
Ontario Science Centre KidSpark, Harbourfront Centre (January 9, 15$ a person)
Toronto Reference library’s Retail Retrospective (January 10, free)
Textile Museum of Canada (January 10, free visit with library pass)
Aga Khan Museum (January 16, free visit with library pass)
Woodland Cultural Centre (January 17, 27$ per adult)
Wellington County Museum and Archives (January 20, by donation)
King Heritage and Cultural Centre (January 23, free)
Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives (January 27, 8$ per adult)
Guelph Civic Museum (January 31, 6.50 per adult)
Art Gallery of Guelph (January 31, by donation)
Ireland House Museum, Burlington Museums (February 3, 10$ per adult)
Joseph Brant Museum, Burlington Museums (February 3, 10$ per adult)
Gardiner Museum (February 5, free with library pass)
Royal Ontario Museum (February 5, free with library pass)
Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory (February 20, 22.50$ per adult)
The Ken Seiling Waterloo Region Museum (February 20, April 24, 15$ per adult / 5$ per child as part of Mini Museum Explorers)
Discovery Centre Halifax (March 5, free with gifted pass)
Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 (March 5, 19$ per adult)
Resurgo Place (March 12 / May 16 and May 19, free with gifted pass)
Lincoln Museum and Cultural Centre (March 19, by donation)
Peterborough Museum and Archives (April 15, suggested donation 10$ per group)
The Canadian Canoe Museum (April 15, 20$ per adult)
Niagara Falls History Museum (April 17, 6$ single admission)
Niagara Parks Power Station (April 18, group admission / unknown)
Ripley’s Believe it or not Museum (April 20, 29.99$ per adult)
Montgomery’s Inn (April 22, and June 10, free)
The Paris Museum (April 24, by donation)
Orillia Museum of Art and History (April 25, 5$ per adult)
Museum of Lennox & Addington County (April 27, 5$ per adult)
Moncton Library community art exhibit (May 1, free)
Joggins Fossil Cliffs and Centre (May 12, 7.39$ per adult)
Fundy Geological Museum (May 12, 8.50$ per adult)
MR21 (May 13, visited as part of a museum association event)
Centre Homarus (May 14, 12.50$ per adult)
Musee Acadien (May 16, 11.50$ family entry)
Albert County Museum and RB Bennett Centre (May 18, 10$ per adult)
Cumberland County Museum and Archives (May 19, I do not think my dad paid before leaving)
Minister’s Island, the Van Horne Estate (May 21, 19.50$ per adult)
Ross Memorial Museum (May 21, by donation?)
Kingsbrae Garden (May 21, 20$ per adult)
Monument Lefebvre (May 22, free)
Potato World (May 23, 6$ per adult)
Malabeam Centre (May 23, free)
Colbourne Lodge (May 29, free)
Ingersoll Cheese and Agricultural Museum (June 1, by donation)
McMicheal Canadian Art Museum (June 2, 20$ per adult and 7$ parking)

Sensory Issues and Overstimulating Spaces

I am sound sensitive and museums can be noisy places. Art museums have humming sounds from the lights and environment controls. History museums often have audio content.

Sometimes, I am in the right mood and the sound isn’t an issue. Other times, I come prepared with earplugs and/or head phones to mitigate the issue. There are also occasions where I have to leave because I cannot read or think and my usual tools are not working.

Burlington Museums

Burlington Museums includes two museums – Ireland House and the Joseph Brant Museum.

The Ireland House is a fairly typical historic house museum (built in the 1830s). The family occupied the house until 1985 and the city purchased the space for a museum in 1987. They have restored the space to the 1850s, 1890s, and 1920s (Museums of Burlington 2026).

I was excited to visit Ireland House and the Joseph Brant Museum without a toddler in tow. While I do not have much to say about the experience, I enjoyed the tour. Highlights included the 1920s kitchen and the signs asking people not to touch.

After visiting, I had time for another experience and headed to the Joseph Brant Museum, which is a typical municipal museum telling local history. The original Museum (opened 1942) was housed in a reconstruction of Joseph Brant’s home. They reopened in a new space (with funding from all three levels of government) in 2019. Notably, I previously visited in 2014 or 2013 and recall the space centering Joseph Brant. In the new configuration, there is an isolated case about Brant and the majority of the gallery takes a thematic approach to the region’s history.

I went the Joseph Brant Museum hoping to learn more about Joseph Brant and Indigenous communities in Burlington. Unfortunately, they had music playing fairly loudly in the space. No matter how much I tried to engage, I became increasingly irritated and unable to think. I left disappointed because the music did not seem integral to the story they were trying to tell. Further, unlike other municipal museums, they offered no discounted or combination pricing for visiting both museums.

That being said, I would like to return and engage further with their history. I will come without a toddler (there are few interactives / content for that age group) and be prepared to wear an ear plug / headphones combo.

Off Season Visiting

I visit museums year round. Unfortunately, lot of institutions are limited to summer operations for a number of reasons (e.g., funding, ability to hire summer students, buildings that are not climate controlled). Others have limited operations during the off or shoulder seasons.

King Heritage and Culture Centre

The King Township Historical Society formed in 1972 and advocated for a museum when the Kinghorn School closed in 1978. After the Township purchased the building for their use, the volunteers managed the King Township Museum until 2000. They transfered management to the Township, which then hired the first curator on contract in 2001 and the first permanent curator in 2003. They changed the name to the King Heritage & Cultural Centre (KHCC) in 2014. The KHCC site now contains four buildings – Kinghorn Schoolhouse, Laskay Hall, King Christian Church and King Railway Station (King Heritage & Cultural Centre 2026).

There is a brief history available on the museum website here. The 2021 Heritage & Cultural Master Plan provides additional details, including a timeline and information about additions to the site.

Since I visited in January during an exhibit installation, I only saw the long term exhibit in the original one-room schoolhouse space. It was too cold to wander around outside and my toddler was in an exuberant mood, making reading difficult. I had a few thoughts about the space at the time – I loved the peekaboo into the wall, I found the shiny panels harder to read, and they had a simplistic interactive for kids that worked well.

The thought that has stayed with me – the staff was very kind. You can see collections storage behind the front desk. When my little one and I talked about what we could see, the front desk staff moved the storage units for us. It was very exciting.

Clearly, I need to revisit.

Toddler

I grew up going to museums and we still go as a family whenever we’re together. Now, I go to a museum and/or library weekly with my little. Visiting a museum with a toddler can be amazing. They see the world differently and we have some really fun adventures.

However, toddlers have a limited attention span. In some museum spaces, they have planned for kids, considering their height and providing interactive elements. In those cases, the design enables me to read and engage while also following my toddler overlord. In most museums though (even ones claiming to be family friendly), this is not the case.

Most museums aren’t for toddlers.

Montgomery’s Inn

Montgomery’s Inn is my local community museum in Etobicoke. In the 1960s, the Etobicoke Historical Society began advocating for the building’s preservation in its original location. They convinced the land developer to sell them the building at his cost. Eventually, they transferred ownership to Etobicoke Township and successfully lobbied for the building’s restoration. Montgomery’s Inn then opened as a museum in 1975 (Reid 2026).

The Inn’s ongoing existence as an active museum demonstrates the significance of engaged volunteers within the local community. In 2011, the City of Toronto dissolved their museum advisory boards and reportedly planned to close four of their museums – Montgomery’s Inn, Gibson House, Zion Schoolhouse and the Market Gallery. The INNovators organized, incorporated, and protested the Inn’s closure (Nelson 2021). Today, the City continues to operate Montgomery’s Inn and the INNovators sell bread to support their operation as part of the weekly market. I would love to know more about their work but there is limited information online.

I love the weekly market, which reflects work being done to keep the spirit of Montgomery’s Inn alive rather than focus on preserving a specific memory of the space. The Museum hosts a number of events in addition to the market. For example, I once went to a dinner with dancing at the Inn with my sister. Notably, all visits have led to some exploration of the space.

I would love to go to more of their events, but I live life with a toddler in tow. In most cases, it is unclear if a toddler would be a distraction. That being said, there is an upcoming storytelling event that we’re looking forward to attending.

Cumberland County Museum and Archives

The Cumberland County Museum and Archives is a small community museum in Amherst, Nova Scotia. The Amherst Township Historical Society purchased the building, Grove Cottage, in 1981 and turned it over to the Province of Nova Scotia to operate as a county museum (Goodwin 2026).

Today, the site receives support from the Nova Scotia Department of Tourism and Culture under the Community Museum Assistance Program (CMAP) of the Nova Scotia Museum, which funds community museums across the province. Notably, the funding program is currently at risk. In 2026, the Province announced an intention to transition sites to community management while also cutting funding to CMAP, which provides the funding for museums across the province.

I do not have much (anything?) to say about my visit because I spent the whole time chasing a toddler around the space. When there are no barriers between us and the objects, the risk of touching is extremely high. Usually, when visiting with another adult, we take turns on toddler watch. However, my dad loves to chat and he got a lovely tour.

Potato World

Potato World is a relatively new museum. It opened with funding from all three levels of government in 2004 after advocacy from the local community.

There is a lot to read and see at the site. However, there are very few interactives or content that appeals to a small child. I also made the mistake of telling my toddler that we would eat potatoes in their cafe. As a result, they rushed us along and eventually pushed me out of the gallery.

They were right, the food was delicious.

Ingersoll Cheese and Agricultural Museum

The Ingersoll Cheese and Agricultural Museum opened in 1977 as a re-creation of a 19th century cheese factory. They have added more buildings over time, starting with the Ingersoll Sports Hall of Fame in 1983. The municipal Museum began operating year round in 2012, which led to more buildings and exhibits (Town of Ingersoll 2026)

Unfortunately, my toddler was most interested in buying cheese from their gift shop and then eating it while playing in the cheese playground. Food is clearly a greater priority than museuming. I should have left out the cheese part when I told them we would go to a museum because I was able to read almost nothing (the exception being content within the sight line of the two coloring stations).

McMichael Canadian Art Museum

The McMichael Canadian Art Collection began as a private collection of Tom Thompson and the Group of Seven. They donated the collection to the Province and the public museum opened in 1966 (McMichael Canadian Art Collection 2026). Currently, exhibits continue to focus on nature landscapes and there are a number of galleries showcasing Indigenous art.

We went to the McMichael because my little one announced that we needed to go to a museum. Their only requirement was that the museum have animals. I confirmed artistic animals would be fine and we headed to Kleinburg. It did not go well.

After the first gallery, my little one noticed there were no activities and asked to leave. We did come across a colouring station, but all of the materials were out of reach (they are in an independent phase so helping them was not an option). The activity beside the coloring also led to frustration because they were too short. The lack of stool meant that, once again, things were out of reach.

I insisted we walk through the entire space because visiting the McMichael is relatively expensive (especially when you consider the parking charge on top of admission). I got a lot of looks and a couple suggestions that we go to the coloring area. I think they were trying to be helpful but it came across as telling me that I should not have my toddler in the space.

I am curious about their family Sundays, which are free and (according to the website) have kid centric programming. So, we will be returning for that!

I am simply not that interested in the content

Sometimes, I am unable to properly reflect on the experience because I am not into the content. I love to learn about local history and culture. However, I have a toddler who dictates many of my museum choices and we have different tastes.

For example, my little likes dinos. To foster this interest, we have been to the ROM, Joggins, and the Fundy Geological Museum so far this year. I have a lot of thoughts on the ROM’s layout, but during our last visit we were pretty dino focused. So, I did not take pictures of very many things, and I do not remember much of the visit (this is typical for my ROM visits. I find the space way too overstimulating). Our trip to two Nova Scotia museums with dinos and fossils was fun. However, all of my reflections were easily contained in the reels I made about the experience because I did not read or engage with any dino content.

Another category of museums that my kid (but not me) loves are live animal museums (e.g., zoos and aquariums). I have done a basic reflection on the Toronto Zoo and we do go a lot because we are now members. Before I was comfortable purchasing the membership, I did research on the ethics of the zoo and noticed they are often mentioned when providing positive examples. They do a lot of great work.

My visits to the Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory and Centre Homarus were plagued with an internal dialogue about whether it was ok to be there from an ethical standpoint. I did not do any research in advance and should have. I also did not find the content interesting enough (a me issue, not a them issue) to stop arguing with myself and engage while visiting. As a result, if I wanted to reflect properly on the experience, I would have to go back.

Questions

Are there any other ways you have noticed me being an imperfect visitor?

How about you, are you an imperfect visitor too? If so, how?

References

Gordon Goodwin, “The Cumberland County Museum and Archives,” Historic Nova Scotia, accessed June 14, 2026, https://historicnovascotia.ca/items/show/184.

Government of Canada. 2004, September 10. “Official Opening of Potato World.” News Release. Accessed June 15, 2026. https://www.canada.ca/en/news/archive/2004/09/official-opening-potato-world-new-brunswick-potato-museum.html

King Heritage & Cultural Centre. Accessed May 20, 2026. “About.” King Heritage & Cultural Centre. https://www.kingheritageandculture.ca/about

Nelson, R. (2021). Turning the Light on: The Ontario Historical Society and Museum Governance. Ontario History, 113(1), 41–53. https://doi.org/10.7202/1076077ar

McMichael Canadian Art Collection. Accessed June 15, 2026. “McMichael History.” https://mcmichael.com/mcmichael-history/

Museums of Burlington. Accessed June 15, 2026. “Ireland House Museum.” https://museumsofburlington.ca/visitor-information/ireland-house-museum/

Reid, Randall. Accessed June 7, 2026. “Montgomery’s Inn.” Etobicoke Historical Society. Reprinted from The Work Pioneer vol. 99. https://www.etobicokehistorical.com/montgomerys-inn.html

Town of Ingersoll. Accessed June 14, 2026. “Ingersoll Cheese and Agriculture Museum.” https://www.ingersoll.ca/live-and-play/ingersoll-cheese-agricultural-museum/

Legitimizing Colonialism: Exhibitions on a “First Story” and Immigration

I am almost at the end of my January visits! Within this post, I am going to talk about my visit to the Wellington County Museum and Archives.

Background

In my experience, museums with both an archive and affiliated historical society often have a more accessible history. In this case, the Wellington County Museum and Archives’ digitized collection includes publications from the Wellington County Historical Research Society, which founded the Museum. The museum nerd in me = excited to spend more time perusing the database.

A group of Women’s Institute members met and formed the Wellington County Historical Research Society in 1928 to “preserve the remnants and artifacts of the pioneer period” (Thorning 1981, 80). Their programming included papers, talks, exhibitions of artifacts, demonstrations, and historical plays. Following a period of reduced activity due to the second world war (Ibid.), they founded the museum in 1954 and then promptly sold the collection to the county in 1957 (Callen 1981). In the 1970s, the County moved the Museum to its current location.

Side note: I think provincial granting requirements likely contributed to County involvement in the Museum. At the time, the province gave $1,000 to municipal councils that appropriated funds for a museum they owned and opened to the public.

I visited the Wellington County Museum and Archives alone on a weekday in January, which is a rare treat for me. Despite not bringing a toddler, I am still not an ideal visitor that reads every panel or engages with every exhibit. At the time, the exhibits within the space include: Wildlife Rescue, Domestic Elegance, Ephemera, Destination Wellington, If These Walls Could Speak, The Jewel Classic Movie Theatre, Far from Home, and the Children’s space. There was also an exhibition on an archaeological dig and Indigenous Peoples titled “First Story: The Neutrals in Wellington County,” which at the time that I write out this reflection is notably absent from their list of current exhibitions.

I really enjoyed most of the Museum and thought it was a delightful way to spend the morning. In particular, Ephemera is an excellent exhibit theme.

However, I stopped thinking about the experience due to the colonial narratives reinforced in the space.

Reflection

The Wellington County Museum and Archives exhibits “First Story” and “Destination Wellington” contribute to and reinforce a specific colonial narrative that is far too popular in Ontario’s community museums. They legitimize settlement and current colonial constructions while historicizing Indigenous Peoples. Historicization is most visible in the exhibit purporting to be about the Neutral Nation.

Side note: They were called Attawandaron by the Huron-Wendat and Neutrals by the French. I am using Neutral Nation because that is the term used in the exhibit and we do not know what they called themselves.

The first panel titles the exhibit, “First Story: The Neutrals in Wellington County” and outlines the actual topic of the exhibition – that is, two archaeological digs:

There are several issues with this introduction. Notably, the title conflicts with the actual topic – that is, archaeology. The story told through archaeology is a colonial construction as immediately evident in the site names. It positions a specific Nation as having the “first story” but only dates the story to the 15th century.

Here is a link to the County of Wellington’s land acknowledgement, which includes information about treaties and lists Indigenous Peoples who have lived in the region.

The second and third panels focus on archaeology with display cases underneath holding artifacts from the digs. The panels are rife with colonial language, continuing to indicate a focus on archaeology rather than Indigenous Peoples. The panels identify the archaeologist by name multiple times and emphasize student involvement with images. They state the Neutrals “chose a site away from the flowing waters of Puslinch Township…” Notably, what is now Puslinch Township did not exist at the time and the waters only belong to the township within a colonial understanding.

There is a final panel that provides more information – (I think) referencing Indigenous Peoples longstanding relationship to the land. It’s titled “Fragments of History: The First 10,000 years” and seems to outline periods of time in relationship to artefacts found. However, I did not stay to read it and I don’t have a clear picture because I stopped at the third panel (reminder: I am not a perfect museum goer).

I needed time to reflect on the blatant colonial messaging in the third panel, which states:

There are a lot of issues with this paragraph. I am not an expert by any means so I may be missing something or have a misunderstanding. Here are the issues that I can see:

Stating the Nation was eradicated implies the People died. They did not. They dispersed.
The panel acknowledges trade and disease had an effect on weakening the Nation, but blames their so-called eradication on “warring Iroquois.” Using the term “waring Iroquois,” mitigates European responsibility in the deaths and disbursement of Indigenous Peoples in the area. Notably, the 17th century “Iroquois Wars” were a fight for resources as the economy had become dependent on European Fur trade.
The assertion – only fragments dug from the ground remain – gives archaeologists the singular authority to speak for the Neutral Nation.

I think the exhibit aimed to share artifacts and information about an archeological dig that occurred in the region. However, in practice, the exhibit reinforces a colonial narrative that sees certain kinds of land use, such as the creation of a so-called village or hamlet, as legitimate. The narrative villainizes some Indigenous Peoples (e.g., “waring Iroquois”), undermining their longstanding and ongoing relationships to the land. It fails adequately to acknowledge subsequent or previous relationships to the territory now known as Wellington County.

Initially, I considered the colonial narrative in the archaeology exhibition in isolation from the others, which I enjoyed at the time. However, as I reflected, I realized I did not experience the exhibitions in isolation and the narratives presented are complimentary.

The “Destination Wellington” exhibit ignores the reality that what is now called Wellington County was not empty. The messaging is also part of the colonial narrative.

The exhibit depicts a variety of people and families that emigrated from other countries to Wellington County over time. It is not chronological. Panels about families or people that came to the region in the late 19th or early 20th century are placed alongside panels about more recent immigration. At first, I liked the exhibition because the placements counter xenophobic narratives about who is Canadian and focuses on welcome.

Importantly, the implication becomes – we’re all immigrants here, which is a common narrative within Ontario’s community museums. The reality is: we aren’t. Indigenous Peoples were here before those who emigrated from other countries and are still here. Failing to visibly and clearly include them in narratives about the past, present, and future of a region is an act of colonialism. It historicizes Indigenous Peoples and legitimizes colonial constructions.

Questions

What have I missed?

Why do these narratives continue to be common in Ontario’s community museums? Does it relate to the pioneer focus in their origins? Is it a lack of funding to change past exhibits?

References

Callen, Bonnie. 1981. “Report from the Archives.” Wellington County History. vol1: 92-94

Thorning, Steve. 1981. “Historical Writing on Wellington County.” Wellington County History. vol1: 71 – 87

Language in Museums: Visiting the Mohawk Institute Residential School

Within this post, I am going to talk about my experience visiting the Mohawk Institute Residential School (MI) at the Woodland Cultural Centre (WCC).

I always learn a lot visiting the WCC because it challenges my preconceptions. I am a white settler (English) raised in a Christian household and educated in Canadian public schools. I have a lot to learn.

Background

Like the Aga Khan Museum discussed in my last post, the Woodland Cultural Centre (WCC) differs substantially from other museums in the area. As stated on their website, the WCC “was established in October 1972, under the direction of the Association of Iroquois and Allied Indians upon the closure of the Mohawk Institute Residential School” (Source). Today, it is one of the largest heritage institutions managed and administered by First Nations in what is currently called Ontario.

I first learnt about the WCC when researching my PhD on Ontario Museum Policy because they receive the provincial Community Museum Operating Grant (CMOG).

In the 1980s, the provincial government introduced standards as a condition for CMOG. The standards continue to exist and an updated version is available here. Museums applying for CMOG were asked to demonstrate compliance and, as a result, some small heritage institutions lost their provincial operational funding (or transferred to the smaller and less stringent Heritage Organization Development Grant). As I engaged in archival research, I came across a WCC application for CMOG in the 1980s. Although they did not meet the requirements, Museum Advisors recommended an exception because they were the only museum operated by First Nations receiving funding. I believe they continue to be the only CMOG recipient run by First Nations.

Operational funding, which CMOG provides, is critical for museums because they need funding for staff, maintenance, and other items that are not typically funded through conditional donations or project funding. Consistent and long term operational funding is key to developing organizational capacity.

From a cultural policy perspective, I believe the WCC is stands as argument for funding to First Nations to develop the organizational capacity needed “to maintain, control, protect and develop their own cultural heritage” (UNDRIP 22).The Woodland Cultural Centre is an amazing space that is well worth the drive from Toronto to Brantford. I appreciate the opportunity to learn about the Hodinohsho:ni worldview and think we should be prioritizing funding and donations to Indigenous led institutions, like the WCC. As a result, we have driven to Brantford and visited the Museum a few times over the last year.

Our January visit to the Mohawk Institute Residential School (MI) at the WCC, which opened on Truth and Reconciliation Day in 2025, was a second attempt. Previously, I headed to Brantford without much planning. Unfortunately, the MI was closed as they made changes to the procedures. They had posted the following statement to Instagram:

The week of November 10th, I showed up on a Wednesday, hoping to book a tour. Unfortunately for me, the change was not set up yet and there was information on what the process would look like. While I was frustrated and disappointed, I admire the institution’s approach to prioritizing safety.

During my January visit, I focused on touring the former Mohawk Institute Residential School and did not visit the museum or art gallery spaces. However, I was parenting my toddler and could not fully engage with the content. That being said, I still learnt and have reflections on the design. Hopefully, I will be able to go back soon and reflect more on the content.

Reflection

The museum and art gallery inside the Woodland Cultural Centre (WCC) are very toddler friendly. The Woodland Cultural Centre (WCC) also did the work to ensure parents have the option to bring children into the Mohawk Institute Residential School (MI) with an audio guide for children. That being said, the subject matter and history depicted is incredibly difficult.

I want my kid to grow up knowing about difficult histories. I want them to understand what residential schools were and how they continue to impact society. However, my kid is two.

Their goal for the visit seemed to be running and playing through the hallways, which did not feel appropriate. Since it was a quiet day with only one other family in the MI, the reflection rooms served as a space I could bring my little to calm down and color. I would have felt uncomfortable using the space in this way if the institute was busier and other people needed the space for quiet reflection.

All of that to say: The WCC made the MI accessible for children, but I don’t recommend bringing a rambunctious toddler.

Due to my rambunctious toddler, I was not able to engage with the content as much as I wanted. I did listen to most of the auditory materials and walked through the entire space, but was not able to read very much. The experience was far more emotional than intellectual / educational for me. My child running alongside me heightened my emotions as I imagined what these children went through.

I left with one key idea and I can’t stop thinking about it – that was not a school.

The seed of this idea was planted during an earlier visit when I called the MI a school at the WCC front desk. The staff member kindly corrected me, letting me know they prefer to use the word Institute. I thought the correction made sense and changed the language I used but did not reflect on the implications of word usage.

Then, when touring the MI, I saw and heard repeated examples of abuse and neglect. The stories from Survivors emphasized the ways they were essentially imprisoned and mistreated. Information about their so-called education in this space conflicted with what I was taught in school.

I only have one clear memory of learning about “Residential Schools” in elementary school during the 1990s in the New Brunswick French Immersion program. Most of our lessons about Indigenous Peoples centered the Mi’kmaq and their relationship with Acadians. Functionally, these lessons taught us what Europeans learnt from Indigenous Peoples and how positive relationships helped Acadians survive.

One day, we had a fill in the blank activity centering Indigenous peoples. At least one question / answer implied children were forced into “schools,” but I do not remember any other negatives mentioned in this activity or our classes more broadly. It was not clear to me that bad things happened there. I remember one question asked us to list the benefits of Residential Schools. While I did not know the answer, the teacher explained that people learned many valuable skills needed to survive.

I still remember being confused and trying to get information on what, exactly, the Indigenous Peoples learnt at these “Schools” that helped them survive. We always got a lot of information about specific helpful things Acadians learnt from the Mi’kmaq. I noticed and vividly remember noticing the difference. However, when I did not get additional information, I stopped thinking about the issue and accepted that what the teacher I liked told me was true (in my defense, I was about 8 years).

I remained ignorant for most of my life about the horrors of places like the Mohawk Institute. Like many white Canadians with settler roots, my awareness started to change around 2012 due to the Idle No More movement and 2015 with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Over the last decade, I have made some efforts to learn and understand the implications of Residential Schools. However, I never questioned or thought critically about the use of the word school.

I have been to a number of historic school museums in Ontario and Canada more broadly. Notably, the experience of going to the MI is nothing like the experience of going to a school museum. Instead, the emotional impact was similar to experiences I’ve had in museums that focus on incarceration (e.g., the Kilmainham Gaol Museum) or other difficult histories (e.g., Vabamu Museum of Occupations and Freedom). I understand that the use of “residential school” reflects what they were called, but the wording is part of the colonial narrative. It obscures the reality of lived experiences, encouraging assumptions about learning.

Today, the Mohawk Institute actually is a site primarily for learning and I think the work is really important. I appreciated the opportunity to learn from survivors.

Questions

Have you visited the Mohawk Institute and, if so, what were your take aways?

Accessibility and Connection at the Aga Khan Museum

Within this post, I talk about my experience(s) visiting the Aga Khan Museum, focusing on their commitment to accessibility.

Background

The Aga Khan Museum is a relatively new museum, established in 2014. They have a (very) brief history on their website (available here) and make their annual reports available here. The museum history nerd in me loves to see this content so easily available (but would love a more complete history).

From a cultural policy perspective, the Aga Khan Museum is unique. It is the first museum dedicated to the arts of Muslim civilizations in North America (AKDN).

Within the Canadian context, it also stands out due to its budget for two reasons. First, it has one of the largest operating budgets that I have seen for a Canadian museum that is not a government institution. Most Canadian non profit museums (and municipal ones!) have budgets well under a million dollars. The Aga Khan Museum’s Canadian Revenue Agency report from 2024 shows revenue exceeding 19 million and expenses exceeding 18 million. Although other factors contribute to institutional capacity (e.g., volunteer labour), they started with and have maintained a comparatively high budget. As such, they have a lot more capacity than typically seen in non profit museums in Canada. Second, according to their 2024 annual report, grants only form 5% of their budget. The majority of their budget (74%) comes from “donations, sponsorships, patrons, and friends.” In my experience, this is also atypical within the Canadian museum landscape and I am curious about the ways their funding structure shapes their activities.

As a frequent museum goer, I also find the Aga Khan Museum operates differently then other institutions (particularly art museums in the same region, such as the Art Gallery of Ontario or the McMichael Canadian Art Collection). The differences relate to the accessibility of their content, which I will discuss in my reflection below.

I go to the Aga Khan Museum multiple times a year, but I have only been once in 2026. During our January visit, we explored the Aga Khan Museum’s permanent collection, spent time in the Bellerive Room, and walked through the temporary exhibit As the Sun Appears from Beyond. I had visited all of these spaces previously, but continue to learn each time due to the breadth of information provided.

The January visit involved less engagement with written content because we went with four children, using the Museum as a space to meet up and hang out. I focused on following the two toddlers and facilitating their experience. As a result, my reflections on our visit focus almost entirely on accessibility and not any specific content.

Reflection

The Aga Khan Museum is accessible in a number of ways.

The art is intellectually accessible due to the education provided. Rather than assume the objects displayed are actively speaking for themselves (why do art spaces do this?!?!), the curators provide the context people need to more fully understand what they are seeing. For example, the temporary exhibition included education about medium, technique, content and historical context in addition to the blurbs on individual pieces. During a previous visit, I read a lot. I learnt about technique and historical context. As a result, on this visit, I had a greater appreciation for the art surrounding me as I followed (chased?) toddlers around the space.

The exhibits are made more accessible to people less familiar with museum spaces. There is a Gallery Etiquette panel in front of the permanent exhibit, which outlines expectations for the space. The temporary exhibition had an Audio Resources panel that explained the different symbols used in the space, including those seen in most museums like the do not touch symbol or no flash photography. There was also a note from the Curators that I appreciated because it provided some cultural context I did not have.

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The Aga Khan Museum designs exhibits in ways that remove physical barriers as well. When we have strollers, we appreciate the availability of an elevator at both the start and end of the temporary exhibit. The toddlers like that they can see the artifacts without adult adult intervention because (usually) nothing blocks their view. The speakers are also easy and intuitive to use. The youngest children were able to access auditory content on their own.

Design elements throughout the Museum make the content more accessible to families. Within all of the exhibit spaces, there are activities that reflect exhibit themes and can be interacted with in different ways. We appreciate the spaces provided to eat and rest. The Bellerive Room, for example, has a quiet area at the back with comfy seating, activities for kids, and books for a variety of readers. These activities and books connected to the museum’s themes, encouraging additional reflection on what we saw.

It’s telling that the Aga Khan Museum is (currently) my toddler’s favourite. It is one of mine too.

Is it perfect?

No. I have complaints.

For example, there are some persistent staff behaviours that I find odd and / or that make me uncomfortable. In particular, the front desk staff has a tendency to respond to questions as if the hallway exhibit on the basement level isn’t an exhibit worth checking out. The gift shop staff tends to follow and watch me. They stroll oddly close in such a small space as if they are expecting me (my child?) to very suddenly steal or break something, but then they almost never talk to me. So, I feel oddly observed and I never buy anything despite loving some of the content.

That being said, I will continue to visit the Aga Khan Museum due to accessibility and connection.

The design prioritizes accessibility in ways that diverge from my expectations for art museum spaces. I believe their mission – to spark “wonder, curiosity, and understanding of Muslim cultures and their connection with other cultures” – clearly informs design. They have created a space that different people from different backgrounds and with different experiences in museum spaces can come to learn. Despite knowing almost nothing about Muslim civilizations the first time that I went, I wasn’t confused. They provided the information I need to understand what I see.

They have also provided a space for social connection that I really appreciate. We enjoy going to the museum as a group. The space isn’t just providing context to look, listen, and explore. It also provides space to sit, reflect, and connect. I love it.

Questions

Why don’t more art museum focus on the intellectual / cultural accessibility of their content?

How does the Museum’s unique history and funding structure within the Canadian museum context shape their work?

I have not been to an event yet, but they look amazing. Any recommendations?

Exhibits about Exhibits: Yay

Within this post, I will talk about two exhibit experiences we had on a Saturday in January – Retail Retrospective at the Toronto Reference Library and Made by Many at the Textile Museum of Canada. In both cases, the exhibits reference and discuss past exhibits.

I love a meta exhibit!

TD Gallery at the Toronto Reference library

Background

The TD Gallery originally opened at the Toronto Reference in 1997 (TPL Press Release 2012). I struggled to find information on the gallery’s development because it is not mentioned in most content on the building’s history. For example, the Toronto Public library’s history for the Reference Library only mentions the reopening of the gallery in 2012).

Although I found limited information on the Gallery’s development, its purpose is clearly articulated. The 2003 Toronto Public Library Annual Report notes: “TD Gallery exhibits at our flagship branch,Toronto Reference Library, are our way of giving the people of Toronto a taste of some of the exciting special collections they might otherwise never know about” (17). Later reports continue to emphasize the Gallery’s role in bringing attention to special collections.

These special collections include bags collected in 1966 for an exhibit on design – “Art of the Shopping Bag.” “Retail Retrospective” featured these bags in the TD Gallery from October 11, 2025 to January 11, 2026. Notably, the exhibit received significant media attention and an increase in visitation for the library. Like over 50% of visitors (City Librarian’s Report for 2026), I went to the TD Gallery for the first time to see the Retail Retrospective. I am very happy that I did!

Reflection

The Retail Retrospective aimed to make Torontonians feel nostalgic about shopping bags and Toronto stores that no longer exist.

We had fun being nostalgic, reminiscing about Honest Eds and beautiful designs.

The exhibit did not simply evoke nostalgia. The Library included sub themes of relevance to our current context. For example, one section discussed the “Ontario Trade Crusade” in 1962 when governments encouraged people to buy goods manufactured in Canada and Ontario. The exhibit connected the trade crusade to the present in the section panel by using the language we see today to encourage the same activity – that is, shop local. The section on libraries included both vintage and contemporary totes.

These connections encourage viewers to reflect on the contemporary context and political climate. Reflection is key to exhibits aiming to invoke nostalgia. Without reflection, nostalgic exhibits risk encouraging visitors to idealize conceptions of the past that didn’t really exist. Connection to the present and / or specific issues allow the viewers to get a fun nostalgic feeling while also providing opportunities to think more critically.

After visiting the exhibition, I wanted to look at a book but quickly realized there were more things to see at the library. There are mini exhibits that are not advertised and sprinkled throughout. Retail Retrospective was incredibly successful as a draw to encourage me to come to the space and keep coming back to see what has changed.

Textile Museum of Canada

Background

After visiting the Retail Retrospective at the Toronto Reference Library, we had some time to waste. So, we got a last minute free library pass to check out the Textile Museum of Canada, which opened as the Canadian Museum of Carpets in 1975. The Museum has some historic images and a timeline available on their website here.

We visited two exhibits – Taking Shape: Recent Acquisitions (on from October 30, 2025 to August 1, 2026) and Made by Many: 50 Years of the Textile Museum of Canada (on from October 30, 2025 to September 1, 2026). There was a third exhibition, but it was not for us and we did not engage with that space. I had already seen the exhibit (as well as the two I revisited) when I attended the Made by Many exhibit opening.

If you like learning about museum history, I recommend attending the exhibit and also watching the lovely video below, which includes interviews from those involved in the Museum’s development. The video is fantastic as it provides information on the administrative aspects in their history (e.g., the influence of funding), which interests me.

Reflection

I have posted extensively on Instagram about my love of meta exhibitions generally and the ones at the Textile Museum of Canada specifically.

The Made by Many exhibition showcases institutional priorities over time with thematic panels. They showcased past exhibits and their collections as examples of the continued evolution of the museum.

Interestingly, the Taking Shape exhibit showcasing recent acquisitions was in the space in front of and beside the Made by Many exhibit. The history exhibit then started with the more recent past and ended with the origins before opening to the Museum’s amazing store, subverting my expectations.

The orientation from present to past surprised me. The path showed the ways the Museum’s approach has been consistent with different eras of development adding to their work rather than changing it per se. It seemed to show that the Museum has grown while maintaining their core objectives and orientation toward community.

I imagine members of their community find this exhibit a delightfully nostalgic experience. Personally, I loved their small display of images and documents outside the exhibit. The museum nerd in me wants to learn more about the admin and funding!

Questions

Are there other meta exhibits (or youtube videos!) that I should check out?

What is the role of nostalgia in exhibits?

Harbourfront Centre: Target Audience?

Within this post, I am going to talk about two museum experiences we had on the same day at the Harbourfront Centre – that is, the Museum of Toronto’s Mr. Dessup to Degrassi exhibit and the Ontario Science Centre’s KidSpark.

Both experiences had me asking the same question – who is the target audience?

Museum of Toronto at Harbourfront Centre

Background

The Museum of Toronto is a relatively new non profit community museum established in 2014 to address a gap and tell Toronto’s story. They have a version of their history, currently focused on changing Executive Directors, available here.

Unlike more established museums in the city (e.g., Toronto History Museums), they are not rooted at a historic site. The Museum has in person exhibits at a fixed downtown location, but also presents content throughout the city and online. Their online presence is phenomenal for a community museum. In particular, I enjoy their:

Youtube Channel: The last two Museum of Toronto exhibits that I visited in person – The 52: Women who Transformed Toronto and Mr. Dressup to Degrassi – included extensive video content, which they also make available online. I love this approach and have enjoyed watching these videos from the comfort of my own home.

Instagram account: In addition to posting about their exhibits, the Museum of Toronto makes reels about Toronto history that I really enjoy.

The Mr. Dessup to Degrassi exhibit, described in detail here, told the story of Toronto as a heart of children’s television from the 1950s until the 1990s. The Museum of Toronto displayed the exhibit at the Harbourfront Centre from November 2025 until March 2026. Notably, the exhibit relied heavily on video content, which is available in a playlist on their youtube channel.

Reflection

Mr. Dressup to Degrassi was a beautifully done exhibit.

Unfortunately, two issues made the experience of attending the exhibit unenjoyable for me – the video content and the volunteers (I know that sounds harsh! I will explain).

While I enjoy sitting for an occasional video as part of an exhibit experience, I do not like standing and watching videos in a museum spaces as the primary activity. As a result, I did not get the full exhibit Mr Dressup to Degrassi experience. The exhibit contained limited text, images, and objects. I likely missed themes that appear in the videos but not in the written and physical content.

Similarly, the toddlers we had in tow also prefer objects and images to museum videos. There were artifacts, but a lot of them were not properly visible from toddler height. There were things they could touch in the space (e.g., a tickle trunk) but a lack of visible signposting about what was interactive and what was not.

We tried asking for information from the volunteer at the entrance. However, the volunteer ultimately answered every question with information about donating money. The pressure to donate (in the absence of more helpful information) made me uncomfortable. I usually donate as I leave “by donation” spaces (and did in this case), but the consistent pressure to donate misses what I feel is key – the voluntary nature of donation – and the fact I originally saw the exhibit advertised as free. It also meant my questions about what the toddlers could engage with were not fully answered.

The other volunteer in the exhibit stayed confined to a crafting area. We were excited to do the craft and make puppets with our toddlers, but stopped because the volunteer kept cleaning the already tidy space as we were using things. We did not feel welcome. It was hard to use any of the supplies because she kept taking them out, showing us, and then putting them away before the toddlers could touch them.

Considering these issues, I realized that despite ads targeting parents with children – I was not the target audience. The volunteer cleaning instead of facilitate crafting indicated a concern with aesthetics over experience. The volunteer most concerned with donations, indicated a concern with fundraising over joy. I am also a little young to feel strong nostalgia at the content (born in 1988), my kid is a little young to find the videos engaging, and none of us had the patience to stand to watch the video content for long.

Ontario Science Centre KidSpark

Background

Every trip to an Ontario Science Centre (OSC) activation since the original site closed is disappointing because the OSC was such a phenomenal space filled with engaging exhibits and enthusiastic staff.

The Ontario Government commissioned Raymond Moriyama to build the site in 1964 as a Canadian Centennial project and it opened in 1969 as one of the first interactive science museums. The Government closed the OSC abruptly in 2024 due to needed roof repairs and announced an intent to relocate to Ontario Place. This decision making process lacked stakeholder involvement and was not fully informed. They used preliminary and incomplete financial information. For example, the analysis used to support the decision did not include information about the costs to design, build, finance, or maintain a new site. It also did not consider a delivery model for repairs and upgrades to the existing site (Office of the Auditor General of Ontario 2025).

The original / existing Ontario Science Centre location has an LRT stop and was easy to access by car or bus. The planned location raises concerns regarding travel times and car access for suburban families and school groups, which are two core audiences for the OSC (Office of the Auditor General of Ontario 2025). These concerns are also relevant to the KidSpark pop up exhibition at Harbourfront Centre that I attended.

The Ontario Science Centre’s KidSpark at Harbourfront includes many of the OSC’s popular interactives for kids under 8 from the dismantled Ontario Science Centre. Like the planned Ontario Place location, the site is not very accessible by car / bus due to downtown traffic. There are also issues using transit options to get to the space with children (e.g., no LRT/subway).

Issues of accessibility are core to my reflection on KidSpark.

Reflection

The KidSpark exhibits are awesome. The toddlers enjoyed learning through plan and there is plenty for them to do. The interactive elements are designed for and serve young children.

However the context for these interactives is not kid friendly.

First, it is not a very affordable experience at 15$ a person (3 and older) for a maximum of 2 hours in the space. In order to limit costs, we tried to get a library pass, but the passes only provided access after 2pm. When you have napping toddlers, 2pm is not a feasible time to go to a museum. Considering the restriction, we did assume the place would be busy in the morning. It was not and the number of interactive zones actually outnumbered the families.

Second, committing one of my biggest pet peeves, there is nowhere to eat in the space AND there are no in / out privileges. Since toddlers are hobbits, we had to provide a snack on a bench in front of the doors before entering and then again upon exit.

Third, the Harbourfront Centre is not easily accessible by car as downtown traffic adds significant delays. It is also not very accessible by transit. After taking the subway, our choices were to walk about 15-20 minutes or spend more time waiting and navigating the street car with a stroller.

I think the Ontario Science Centre employees know the new location is not accessible for many Torontonians considering the advertisements I see stating its a “stones throw from the CN Tower” seem to be targeting tourists.

Overall, going to OSC pop ups / temporary spaces makes me really sad. The province lost a major resource for early childhood education when they decided to close.

Questions

As I noted in the intro, I am thinking a lot about target audiences. Essentially:

Who is the Museum of Toronto’s target audience?
Is the Museum of Toronto most concerned with their digital presence? In which case, are the in person exhibits functionally marketing?
With their new locations, is the Ontario Science Centre changing their core audience?

Moooooseum Visit

Welcome to my first post reflecting on museum visits! I am starting with a fairly short post on the Toronto Zoo (my kid’s favorite “mooooooseum”).

Background

We have been to the zoo twice this year.

In January, we lucked out and got a free ticket to the Zoo through the Toronto Public Library’s Museum + Art Pass program (tpl:map). The cultural policy nerd in me wants know more about the origins and evolution of this program. Here is what I was able to find out with some internet sleuthing:

The Sun Life Financial Museum + Arts Pass program began in 2007 (TPL Annual Report 2010). A comment on a seven year old Reddit post claims the program was originally meant for lower income families then expanded to the population at large. Information on the program in the TPL 2011 Annual Report supports this assertion, stating Sun Life Financial’s support allows “families to borrow a pass and experience Toronto’s cultural treasures for free with their library card – especially in those neighbourhoods and communities where access to the arts and culture may be more limited” (10). Notably, the focus on particular communities and, therefore, the need to go to a branch in order to access the program no longer seems to exists as patrons can book passes online (since 2023).

I do not think tpl:map operated in the late 2010s. It is not mentioned in the TPL Annual Reports from the period and, in 2016, Sun Life Financial’s support shifted to a musical instrument lending program. Since 2019, tpl:map has operated with support from the Bennett Family Foundation.

Our second visit to the Zoo was, unfortunately, not free. However, we enjoyed the first visit so much that we bought a membership.

Visit Reflection

In our house, my toddler has declared the Toronto Zoo to be the best “moooseum.”

Personally, I am a little less convinced. Whenever I go to a museum with a living collection, I have a debate with myself about ethics. For now, I will continue to my kid’s favorite moooseum because ideas of conservation and animal welfare are seemingly the core of the Toronto Zoo’s work, which you can learn about here.

While I enjoy learning about the animals and conservation efforts at the Zoo, I do do not engage with the panels and information in the same way I do in a museum. As a result, I do not have a lot to say regarding the exhibits and information panels. That being said, it looks like there have been interesting collaborations and student involvement.

Instead of reading, my toddler and I spend our time observing the animals then talking to the Toronto Zoo’s amazing volunteers. They are so knowledgeable!!!!

Everytime I go to the Zoo, I am in awe of the number and quality of their volunteers. There are volunteers in most of the pavilions who are excited to share their knowledge and excitement about what we see. For example, during our January visit, a volunteer made sure to circulate and ensure people knew the sloth was on the move. I am so grateful for that experience. I had never seen a sloth in motion before!! Volunteers have answered questions, guided interactive activities, and helped us find out way when we’re lost.

This video does a great job at showing the volunteers’ enthusiasm:

If you’re interested in numbers and additional information on the volunteer program, the Zoo’s reports to the Board of Management are publicly available. Here is the 2021 volunteering and engagement report. Since I have yet to meet an unengaged volunteer and have had universally positive experiences, I find the scale of their program to be really impressive.

Questions

I want to know more about tpl:map! In particular, I am curious:

How did the program start?
Did the program operate from 2015 to 2018?
How did the program target communities where access to arts and culture were more limited? Did different branches get a different number of passes?
Why and how did the Bennett Family Foundation begin supporting the program?

I want to know more about the Toronto Zoo’s volunteer program.

How do they keep so many volunteers so engaged?!

I am also reflecting on my experiences with volunteers. In many ways, the volunteers make our visits amazing. Without volunteers, I would never find my way out of one of the pavilions and I would know far less about gorillas.

How, exactly, do volunteers make a museum experience either better or worse?
What other institutions have great volunteer programs? Or, at least, programs that seem great from a visitor perspective?

Reflecting on Museum Visits

I’m back!

Parenting full time involves much less writing than I originally planned and hoped. That being said, I have the privilege of time to visit a lot of museums, which is amazing! So far this year, I have visited 22 museums:

Click to expand list of museums visited, date of visit, and cost.

Toronto Zoo January 8; Free visit with library pass)
Museum of Toronto at Harbourfront Centre, Mr. Dressup to Degrassi (January 9, by donation)
Ontario Science Centre KidSpark, Harbourfront Centre (January 9, 15$ a person)
Toronto Reference library’s Retail Retrospective (January 10, free)
Textile Museum of Canada (January 10, free visit with library pass)
Aga Khan Museum (January 16, free visit with library pass)
Woodland Cultural Centre (January 17, 27$ per adult)
Wellington County Museum and Archives (January 20, by donation)
King Heritage and Cultural Centre (January 23, free)
Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives (January 27, 8$ per adult)
Guelph Civic Museum (January 31, 6.50 per adult)
Art Gallery of Guelph (January 31, by donation)
Ireland House Museum, Burlington Museums (February 3, 10$ per adult)
Joseph Brant Museum, Burlington Museums (February 3, 10$ per adult)
Gardiner Museum (February 5, free with library pass)
Royal Ontario Museum (February 5, free with library pass)
Cambridge Conservation Authority (February 20, 22.50$ per adult)
The Ken Seiling Waterloo Region Museum (February 20, 15$ per adult)
Discovery Centre Halifax (March 5, free with gifted pass)
Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 (March 5, 19$ per adult)
Resurgo Place (March 12, free with gifted pass)
Lincoln Museum and Cultural Centre (March 19, by donation)

During these visits, I am seeing so many interesting exhibits and would like to document my reflections. I started posting reels, which works well with the chaos of my life. However, the medium and platform encourage communicating a single idea quickly over more complicated reflections.

I loved creating blog posts during the archival research phase of the Dawson City Museum project, documenting and discussing ideas in progress. So, I am returning to blog posts and hope I find the same joy in writing.

Eventually, I may develop a research project with specific questions related to two ideas:

Identity construction in and through community museums: If community museums are a tapestry that present different aspects of the Canadian experience, what does the tapestry look like? How is it evolving?

Ways museums are (not) kid and friendly museum spaces: As a museum worker and then scholar, I believed museums are spaces for kids and families. As a parent experiencing museums with a baby then a toddler and sometimes a group of four kids under 10, I have come to believe most spaces are not designed for kids or families. How do and can museums design for a family friendly experience?

My museum visit reflections will likely include commentary on both of those ideas and lived experiences. However, for now, I would like to give myself space to discuss questions and themes as they appear. So far, I’ve started noticing the following themes connecting my thoughts:

Nostalgia
Museum design and accessibility
The role of people
The local and colonialism

I am looking forward to exploring these themes as part of weekly museum visit reflections. However, it seems like I am unable to finish writing anything without some sort of deadline for myself in place. So, here it is:

I am going to start posting on Sundays (when I have writing time) or Mondays (if more editing is needed. Some posts will be about one museum visit because I have so much to say. Other posts will reflect on multiple experiences. I am going to give myself some space to see what works.

Next week’s post will be about the Toronto Zoo, the Museum of Toronto at the Harbourfront Centre, and Ontario Science Centre KidSpark.

Funding through Policy Attachment: A New Chapter

A chapter I wrote before parental leave – “Funding through Policy Attachment: An Examination of Funding for the Dawson City Museum” – was recently published.

Abstract: Using the Dawson City Museum as a case study, the chapter considers the ways community museums engage in policy attachment for survival and growth due to limitations within existing funding programs targeting museums. It demonstrates how the Museum has aligned its objectives with a variety of funding initiatives, such as those related to unemployment and tourism. Through policy attachment, the Museum was able to grow and develop, expanding its activities despite having few permanent full-time year-round staff. However, policy attachment requires ongoing work to (re)attach museum work to changing government priorities and, therefore, has a high human resource cost. As a result, the Museum became dependent on a variety of employment programs and the availability of contract workers with an existing relationship to the Museum to engage in the different projects that could be attached to grant programs outside heritage branches. These programs and experienced labor became less available. At the same time, core museum funding increased, reducing the need for policy attachment. As a result, the Museum saw a decline in the breadth of activity they could accomplish and, therefore, their role as an active community member but has been able to focus energy on work seen as crucial.

Link: It is in the book Financial Management in Museums: Theory, Practice and Context available here.

If you do not have access and would like a copy, please send me an email (robinnelson@museoception.ca).

I am hoping to have the remaining outputs from the project available soon! However, I have decided to take a more extended leave to stay at home with my little one and have more limited time for research projects.