Menu

museum

Fort Frances Museum new exteriors (1)

Fort Frances musuem advisory committee always seeking new volunteers

,

The Fort Frances Museum and Cultural Centre continues to seek volunteers for its advisory committee.

It has two seats vacant.

Member Paxton Hughes says they have received some interest.

“I believe we’ve gotten a few new members within the last couple of months,” says Hughes.

“One. . . came to committee in the last three, four months. So I think we’re making good progress, but we can always get more members and community people involved.”

Hughes is the committee’s first youth representative.

He was appointed last spring.

He says it has been a great experience.

“My experience as a youth member has been a great opportunity to learn more about our local history, the work of the museum and the important role that the advisory committee plays in supporting its success,” says Hughes

Paxton says the committee reviews draft policies, future capital projects, fundraising opportunities and ways to attract volunteers.

Lake of the Woods Railroaders Museum FB

Kenora’s railroad museum appeals for volunteer support

,

Lake of the Woods Railroaders Museum is appealing for help.

It needs more volunteers.

The group operating the facility is warning that without more people helping out, it may have to close its doors permanently at the end of August.

The museum operates as a not-for-profit organization in preserving Kenora’s railroading history.

Vice-President Barry Creran says they rely on those volunteers to keep the doors open.

“We do not have a curator or an assistant curator or any paid employees,” says Creran in an interview with Acadia News.

“The only paid employees that we have are the summer students that we get provided by the federal government, and that isn’t every year. We have to apply for that every year as well.”

The museum was established in the 1980s by retired CP workers.

A former tourist building was moved to the Norman area and renovated into the museum.

A caboose and a diesel locomotive were also acquired for display.

Creran says the museum has successfully attracted several visitors over the years to view various railroading artifacts and working model trains.

However, the number of volunteers involved has dwindled to only a small handful in recent years.

As a result, the museum is only open in July and August and is funded by donations from visitors.

The group is appealing to the public in hopes of attracting interest.

“You don’t have to be an expert in a or a railway person,” says Creran.

“We could teach all of that, and you learn as you go along like I did.”

Creran is hopeful. A few people have expressed an interest since a social media post about a week ago.

“It would be a shame if we lost all of this information and if the museum had to close.”

ross thomson

Ross-Thomson Museum in Shelburne to re-open thanks to new funding

, , ,

A museum in Shelburne that faced closure is going to open up, thanks to new funding.

The Ross-Thomson House & Store Museum had funding approved through a new community assistance program through the province.

The site was one of 12 that had provincial funding cut in the last budget

The Shelburne Historical Society says the historic building is still owned by the government, and the collection inside will remain through an agreement.

They say they’ll be working with less funding, but remain committed to developing the interpretation at the site.

The society thanks the province for its renewed commitment to the museum.

Opening is scheduled for May 5.

A similar announcement was also made elsewhere in the province, with the Queens County Historical Society saying Perkins House Museum in Liverpool will remain open after being offered annual support through the province’s Community Museum Assistance Program.

That site had also faced closure following recent funding changes.