Lambton Heritage Museum
10035 Museum Road N0M 1T0 Grand Bend, ON, Canada

As we have mentioned before in #CollectionsCorner posts, the supplies used to label an artifact must not cause damage and must be reversible. In some cases, artifact identification numbers wear off over time and need to be removed and reapplied. Our Collections Coordinator identified this problem with a 20mm caliber piece of ammunition from WWII. The damaged ID number was removed using a small amount of acetone on a cotton swab. To reapply the number, a clear base coat was applied, followed by the ID number in archival ink, and a top coat to keep the number safe.

In honour of #NationalVolunteerAppreciationWeek, we’re sharing a post from the Oil Museum of Canada Volunteer roles may look a bit different this year but they are still so important! #LambtonHeritageMuseum #Volunteer #OilMuseumofCanada

This week marks #NationalVolunteerWeek and although it’s been a quiet year for our volunteers, we thank you all for your continued support and dedication through this challenging year. We look forward to seeing you all again soon! #LambtonHeritageMuseum #VolunteerAppreciation

Check out one of our recent donations in today’s #CollectionsCorner. This lovely evening dress was previously used as a costume at the Victoria Playhouse Petrolia. An acid free box along with acid free tissue paper are used to ensure the integrity of the item during storage. Our Collections Coordinator lined the box with acid free tissue paper and created rolled supports made from acid free tissue to provide padding. These supports are often used to cushion the overlapping fabric and discourage creases. Sometimes, more than one textile is stored in a single box, with a layer of acid free tissue between each item. Heavier textiles are typically stored at the bottom of the box to limit any potential damage to lighter and more delicate garments, which may be stored above. #LambtonHeritageMuseum

Thank you to all of those who were able to join us for last night's Heritage Sarnia-Lambton presentation. If you missed it, you can now watch Heritage Hour: Lambton Calamities at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBYRwjVzOcY. In this presentation, heritage professionals from across Lambton County reflect on some of the disasters that have shaken our community since the beginning of the 1900s. Some of the disasters examined were natural, such as the Great Storm of 1913 or the Sa...rnia Tornado of 1953. Some of the disasters were manmade, like the 1902 Wanstead train wreck or the nitroglycerin explosions in the oil fields. Future talks in this series include; On the Lam in Lambton, June 17, 2021 Lambton’s Haunted History, Thursday, October 21, 2021 #HeritageSarniaLambton #HeritageHour

In this #CollectionsCorner post, get a behind the scenes peek at our collection and how we store certain artifacts. Since our renovation in 2018, these mobile shelving units have been an invaluable addition to the museum. They allow us to store and access artifacts with ease. The use of foam adds an extra layer of cushioning for fragile items to ensure that they don’t rattle or crack as the shelving units are moved. In this photograph, you can see that foam has been used to line the shelves and provide additional support between plates, beneath teacups, and has even been added to our cheese dish collection.

Is there a gentleman in your life whose pandemic look is a little out of control? Put his lockdown locks to good use. Recreate or reimagine this historical photo and submit a copy to our Community Photo Challenge. The deadline to enter is February 19, 2021. For more details, visit www.lambtonmuseums.ca/community-photo-challenge

Join us tonight at 7pm for the final installment in our digital lecture series, entitled The History of Photography. Follow the history of photography from the 1700s to the present as Eugene Pruski from the Port Franks Camera Club surveys the major developments. This includes non-permanent images through early daguerreotypes to the invention of film and finally digital media. Register now at https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Btcm4gsWQiyucjlV80BWxw

Oh, deer! While our museum is closed for the month of January, that didn't stop an impromptu visit from our local wildlife.

Join us as we explore hats from our museum collection that will transport you out of the 2020’s and back to the 1920s! Cloche or bell-shaped hats were invented in 1908 by milliner Caroline Reboux. The style was easy to form, and simple enough to be embellished and adapted in a number of ways. This style was especially popular from 1922 until 1933. This is largely because the style flattered short hairstyles that were made popular by film stars at the time.... Stay tuned for future posts in this series "Lavish Lifestyles: Lambton in the 1920s.

Searching for the perfect holiday gift? Shop local at Lambton Heritage Museum. Our gift shop offers a variety of gifts for all ages. Open Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 11am-4pm and Thursday from 11am-8:30pm.

It seems like we all need a bit of extra holiday cheer this year. Check out the new video series by our colleagues at the Oil Museum of Canada, Holidays@OMC!

Did you miss our digital lecture on Thursday night? Nicole Aszalos from Lambton County Archives presented on "Preserving Your Family Photos." She provided excellent information about the agents of deterioration that can damage our photo collections and how we can properly store and care for these treasures. If you missed the lecture in person, you can catch it on our YouTube channel! The next installment in the photography digital lecture series takes place December 10 at 7pm when we welcome members of the Port Franks Camera Club to speak on "Iconic Photographers." Register for the free lecture now at https://www.lambtonmuseums.ca//capturing-the-moment-photog

There was an unexpected sighting on the Thedford Bog yesterday! One thousand to two thousand Tundra Swans were enjoying the warm, sunny weather. While we have seen some small groups of Tundra Swans lately, it is unusual to see large groups at this time of year but not entirely unexpected. Most likely they are passing through on the way to their winter habitat along the east coast of the United States.

Life is getting spookier and spookier as Halloween approaches! It was great to see how many people were excited about the donation of botanical specimens we received earlier this year, and the extensive work done by local botanist Dorothy Tiedje to document our natural history. In this specimen, Dorothy collected a lichen back in 1994 called alectoria sarmentosa, commonly known as Witch's Hair. The common name captures the spindly and supernatural spirit of this lichen!

The Plympton-Wyoming Historical Society has been hard at work installing a second commemorative plaque to honor the site of the Wanstead Train Disaster. Twenty-nine people were killed and dozens were injured on December 26, 1902 when a passenger train and freight train collided.

It was an absolute pleasure to host artist Annie McLaughlin as she toured the feature exhibit Memories of Rural Life. Her art brings to life the experience of growing up in Lambton County’s rural areas. She was kind enough to pose beside her picture from 1946, so you can see Annie in her 20’s and Annie in her 90’s! You can learn more about the exhibit and book a time to come visit on our website, https://www.lambtonmuseums.ca//lambton-heritage-museum/mem

The Historic Building Tour has been updated! This past week, new panels were installed outside of the historic buildings at the Museum. These new panels provide the history of the buildings and will help to bring the Historic Building Tour to life. Take advantage of the mild weather and come and explore the tour today.... Book your time to visit at: https://www.lambtonmuseums.ca//lambton-h/visiting-lhm.aspx See more

October 31st is almost here! We have a lot of cute, vintage holiday postcards in our museum collection, and Halloween is well represented. Stay safe while enjoying the holiday this year by following these recommendations from Lambton Public Health https://lambtonpublichealth.ca/2/halloween-recommendations/

Eek! Did you see this creepy spider from the Oil Museum of Canada's collection last week??

This article about unlocking the mystery of Tab's secret special sauce has been circulating on social media lately, https://thesarniajournal.ca/the-secret-of-tabs-sauce-revea/. It reminded us of the Tab's menu that is part of our permanent collection. Do you remember eating at Tab's in Sarnia in the 1960's? What was your favourite dish?

If you missed the Heritage Sarnia-Lambton digital panel presentation yesterday, you can now watch the video on the Lambton County Archives YouTube channel. Heritage professionals from across Lambton County recognized Remembrance Day with stories and reflections on our local contributions to WWI and WWII. We also discussed initiatives on the home front to support the war effort.

Central United Church in Sarnia is closing, and had its final pipe organ concert on November 17. It featured world-renowned organist Ian Salder of Stratford. According to local historian Ian Mason, this is the largest pipe organ in Lambton County, Chatham-Kent, and Essex County, including the City of Windsor! We recently received a donation of a much smaller organ from Central United Church. This travelling reed organ was produced by the Bell Piano & Organ Company in approximately 1910. These portable organs were relatively light and collapsible, and they could be transported to different locations. They could also be used for graveside funeral services.

Interesting in getting a bit closer to the Tudhop House? Yo can take a 3D virtual tour below! This tiny home was built in 1857 and it isn't very big, but it has some fascinating stories to tell. Explore the house below and swivel around for yourself! You can also learn more and get a peek inside with this video from our Educational Program Coordinator Colleen Inglis, https://youtu.be/62dwqk_dOg0

Did you miss our live digital lecture last week? Music photographer and Lambton College professor Richard Beland shared about his adventures photographing Canadian icons and international superstars over the past 30 years. You can watch the full lecture on our YouTube channel below! This was the first in our four-part digital lecture series on photography. Check out our Facebook events for more information about the next lecture, which takes place November 12. It features Archivist/Supervisor Nicole Aszalos from the Lambton County Archives and the topic is "Preserving Your Family Photos." This digital series supports our current feature exhibit, "Capturing the Moment: Photography in Lambton County" that explores the history of photography through a local perspective. Book a time to come to the museum and see this exhibit!

Getting ready for moving day! If you wish to support the restoration of this incredible 1830s log cabin, donate now at www.lambtonmuseums.ca/canatara-cabin

We've been uploading great activities and informative videos to the Museum @ Home section of our website. If you're looking for something to keep the kids busy, try this colouring activity. It's a fun challenge for the little ones and you can learn a bit about the history of needlework!

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a sudden and substantial impact on the arts, culture and heritage sector. Lambton County has modified its annual Creative County Grant Program to support cultural organizations and events that demonstrate innovation in adapting programs and activities to pandemic restrictions and public health guidelines. Learn more about this year's modified program guidelines and apply at: www.lambtononline.ca/creativecounty

Today, we acknowledge our veterans and all the brave men and women who have served our country. Thank you for your service, and we remember you. #RemembranceDay This painting is entitled "Poppies" and was created by local artist Annie McLaughlin, whose work is currently on display in our Memories of Rural Life exhibit.

Many museums have a collection of artifacts set aside for educational purposes. It contains items used for educational programs, demonstrations, hands-on use by visitors, or general display. In this #CollectionsCorner, you can see our Collections Coordinator has just added these jars of fossils into the Education Collection. To separate the Education Collection from our main collection, the letter E has been added to the front of the accession number. For more information about our education collections, take a look at our "Travelling Trunks" available to teachers for hands-on learning in the classroom: https://www.lambtonmuseums.ca//l/lhm-travelling-trunk.aspx

Thanks to The Sarnia Observer for a great article about this exhibit! Come to the museum to see this exhibit Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 11am-4pm, and Thursdays from 11am-8:30pm.

Have you heard that the Canatara Cabin in Sarnia is slated to be transported to Lambton Heritage Museum? This nearly 200-year-old log cabin will be a unique addition to the historic buildings already on site at our museum. Get updated on the project with the CBC interview below. Chris dela Torre from the Afternoon Drive chats with our General Manager, Andrew Meyer, about the cabin's history and plans for the move.

Join us tonight as we discuss Iconic Photographers with the Port Franks and Area Camera Club from 7-8pm. They will be exploring some of the iconic photographers who inspire their work, including Ansel Adams, Yousuf Karsh, and Thelma Pepper. Register now at: https://calendar.lambtonmuseums.ca//2020-12-10-1900-Iconic... Not able to attend? Our lectures are available online! Visit https://www.lambtonmuseums.ca//capturing-the-moment-photog next week to view the recorded lecture.

Happy Thanksgiving! The holiday looks a bit different this year, but at Lambton Heritage Museum we are thankful that we've welcomed visitors back to our facility and can safely share our local history again! Did you have a turkey this year? This festive painting will be featured in our upcoming exhibit Memories of Rural Life, which celebrates the work and life of local folk artist Annie McLaughlin. It will open October 21 and run until April 16. Keep an eye on our social media for more about this upcoming exhibition!

The Creative County Grant Program is currently receiving 2020 funding applications to support cultural organizations and events during the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more about this year's modified program guidelines and apply at: www.lambtononline.ca/creativecounty

Have you checked out our new article series yet? Lambton Heritage Highlights explores some of your burning questions about our local history. Learn more about the County of Lambton's namesake in the article "A County Named Radical Jack."

Labeling artifacts is incredibly important, especially when dealing with a large collection. During the cataloguing process, an identification number is assigned to the object. Most institutions use a similar formula when numbering artifacts. In the #CollectionsCorner this week, you can see this Sarnia Master Brew bottle has been given the following number: 2018.008.001 2018 Indicates the year the item was donated .008 indicates this was the eighth donation that year... .001 indicates this was the first item in the group of artifacts given by the donor. The only addition to this identification number would have been a letter, had the bottle included a cap. Cheers!

Looking for a great, physically distanced activity for Saturday of the long weekend? Lambton Heritage Museum is open 11am-4pm! Book your time today by visiting www.heritagemuseum.ca/tickets. The leaves are changing and it is a beautiful time to visit our site and explore our historic buildings! You can also check out the feature exhibit "Capturing the Moment: Photography in Lambton County."

Ready to rock and roll? Join us virtually tonight as we host photographer and Lambton College professor Richard Beland, who will share about his work in the music industry. He has photographed bands like Aerosmith, AC/DC, and The Tragically Hip! Register for the free digital lecture at https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_y2PWTpMlT5KyYdHFbcxO8g This digital lecture is one of a four-part series. They are taking place the second Thursday of the month in October, November, December, and January. We're exploring themes related to photography. On October 21, our feature exhibition "Capturing the Moment: Photography in Lambton County" will be opening at the museum. Book your time to visit today and learn more about the history of photography from a local perspective.

We're excited open a new feature exhibit next Wednesday! The work of local folk artist Annie McLaughlin is the highlight in "Memories of Rural Life." You can learn more on the Feature Exhibit page, https://www.lambtonmuseums.ca//lambton-heritage-museum/mem Annie McLaughlin is 94 years young and had her first art exhibition at the age of 90. In this picture from last month, Annie shows us the paintings that were wrapped so they could be safely transported to Lambton Heritage Museum.

As a precaution to help limit the spread of COVID-19 and support the efforts of Lambton Public Health to promote social distancing, we have decided to cancel the 2020 Lambton Fall Colour & Craft Festival at Lambton Heritage Museum. We appreciate your understanding during this time and share your disappointment in the cancellation of this great event.

Do you want to be a part of history? Check out this great initiative from our colleagues at Lambton County Archives and document your 2020 experience.

Applications are now being accepted for the annual 2020 Creative County Grant Program. The County will provide matching funds for new initiatives, or provide 50% reimbursement of expenses incurred retroactive to April 1, 2020. Learn more about this year's modified program and apply at: www.lambtononline.ca/creativecounty

Lambton County has modified its annual Creative County Grant Program to support cultural organizations and events that demonstrate innovation in adapting programs and activities to pandemic restrictions and public health guidelines. Applications will be accepted online beginning Monday, October 5. Learn more about the program and apply at: www.lambtononline.ca/creativecounty

When it comes to artifact cataloguing, it is incredibly important to make sure every piece is accounted for. Letters are used to denote parts of an artifact. For example, a teacup and saucer would receive the same number with one being labeled with the letter a (teacup) and the other with the letter b (saucer). This is incredibly important to ensure that items remain together as a set, especially when they are being moved from one place to another. In the #CollectionsCorner today, we're applying a barrier coat onto a pair of bobskates and will be using this rule of thumb.

We welcomed an interesting donation in September. Dorothy Tiedje was a botanist who worked alongside her husband John. She began preserving samples of local plants in about 1964 by pressing and drying them. The dried specimens were mounted on sheets that record the species name and details about where the specimen was collected. These sheets are cross-referenced with botanical texts and arranged in folders. Care needed to be taken in transferring this material from Sarnia to ...the museum. The dozens of specimen folders were carefully packed in custom boxes that ensured they would not shift in transit. The donor created two wooden platforms for each box to safeguard the folders as they were lifted in and out of the boxes. These folders were loaded into herbarium cabinets in our Collections Centre. These specialized cabinets maintain an environment that sustains these delicate samples. Dorothy's lifework is an excellent documentation of Lambton County's natural history. Her collection also includes specimens from across Canada and some from abroad, as well as reference books and some of the tools she used in her work.

We're hiring a Marketing and Events Coordinator! This is a temporary, full time position. If you're interested in joining our team, submit your application below.

The Friends of Pinery Park and the Lakeshore Eco-Network are hosting a Native Tree and Plant Sale on our museum grounds this weekend! Come to the museum parking lot on October 3 between 9am - 12pm to browse the outdoor sale, or place your order in advance and take advantage of their curbside pickup option. This is the perfect opportunity to purchase beautiful plants to fill your property with native species. Procedures will be in place to ensure a safe shopping experience for everyone.