The series was created in response to the idea that the Museum is viewed by many in the community as important but not a part of their daily lives. Many believe we are an important institution in the community but can’t identify what we do or what kinds of objects we have in the collection. We think its vitally important to get our collection out and seen by the people for whom we steward those very objects.
Museum Chat Live! E107
Happy Victoria Day, everyone! We love this May-long weekend for so many reasons – it signals the beginning of warm weather in Canada, and it is steeped with history that still impacts our lives today.
History InSite 2017
If you’re a history keener (like us) and are interested in taking a guided walking tour, you can meet Museum historians at the Festival Hub/Interactive Village on James Street on the hour between 11 am and 4 pm on Saturday and Sunday, April 29 and 30, 2017
Museum Chat Live! E106
E106 We just can’t believe that it’s April and that we’re on to our third book of Books & Brews! […]
Museum Chat Live! E105 – Remembering Vimy Ridge
Episode 5 of Museum Chat Live! shares the stories of the St. Catharines soldiers who fought at Vimy Ridge from multiple perspectives. We are lucky enough to have letters and diary entries from soldiers including George Hibben, Charles Mercer, Jack House, and Jack Hardy, whose writings bring you right to the battle field.
A Walk Around Town – Walk C
Excerpt from “Walk C” in “St. Catharines A-Z” by Junius, originally published in the St. Catharines Journal on May 29th, […]
Museum Chat Live! E104
On this special episode of the Museum Chat Live! podcast we’ll be focusing once again on our very cool book club: Books & Brews. As a part of the book club series, we are delivering three podcast episodes that accompany our discussion.
Museum Chat Live! E103 – International Women’s Day!
In this special Museum Chat Live! International Women’s Day episode, we bring to life the words of Lillian Phelps by reading her 1890 essay, “Women as Wage Earners.” This essay, published in Woman: Her Character, Culture and Calling (edited by B. F. Austin), makes the urgent call to establish equal work opportunities, equal pay, and a voice for women. These are messages that still resonate today, in 2017.
Narratives of Fugitive Slaves – Part 4
“I think slavery is the worst and meanest thing to be thought of. It appears to me that God cannot receive into the kingdom of heaven, those who deal in slaves. God made all men – He is no respecter of persons – and it is impossible that he should, on account of my colour, intend that I should be the slave of a man because he is of brighter skin than I am.” – Henry Atkinson, (pp 94).
Museum Chat Live! E102
Museum Chat Live! is back with another neat-o episode dedicated to our special Books & Brews series, and our February book selection: The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead. Kathy, Adrian, and Sara chat about some of the historic and famous myths about the Underground Railroad, and the important role that St. Catharines played in the history and lives of refugee slaves.
Narratives of Fugitive Slaves – Part 2
I have seen hundreds of escaped slaves, but I never saw one who was willing to go back and be a slave. I have no opportunity to see my friends in my native land. We would rather stay in our native land, if we could be as free there as we are here. I think slavery is the next thing to hell. If a person would end another into bondage, he would, it appears to me, be bad enough to send him into hell, if he could.
A Walk Around Town – Who is Junius?
As you may recall from a past blog post on Oliver Seymour Phelps (1816-1902), “A Walk Around Town” was a […]
Narratives of Fugitive Slaves – Part 1
St. Catharines played an important part in the success of the Underground Railroad. In railroad speak, the city was a destination, or terminal for refugee slaves. Many who made it to Canada settled in the city, which for reasons associated with the success of the Welland Canal, was, by mid-19th century standards, a thriving and bustling city rivaling Hamilton and London in population and industrial activity.
A Day in Collections – St. Catharines Standard Photographs
This week, Snowflake and Sven travel through a vibrant visual history of St. Catharines with a sneak peak of the […]
Ask Alicia – Willy Wonka of St. Catharines
Dear Alicia, With Halloween just passing and boxes of candy being sold everywhere, it got me thinking about the days […]
Ask Alicia – Haunting in St. Catharines?
Hi Alicia, I hope you are well. As Halloween is fast approaching, I thought I’d suggest an idea for a […]
aMUSE: Lost Architecture
The Last aMUSE of 2016 Our final aMUSE pop-up exhibition of 2016 focused on the lost and remaining 19th century […]
Ask Alicia – John N. Jackson
Alicia, I am have come across a number of books about St. Catharines written by John Jackson. I know he […]
Books and Brews: Chapter Three
Our first Books and Brews series (and my first Book Club) came to a close with a discussion of David […]
The Emotional Power of a Spirit Walk
5 Years of Guided Spirit Walks at Victoria Lawn Cemetery For a good part of a year, probably close to […]
The Fenian Raids: St. Catharines Connections
In honour of the 150th anniversary of the Fenian Raids and the Battle of Ridgeway, we’re taking a closer look at these relatively […]
The Women’s Institute
The Women’s Institute (WI) is an organization most often associated with the UK, but as I recently (and very patriotically) explained […]