Museum Classroom #4- Museum Month & Renewed Purpose in 2021

Museum Month & Renewed Purpose in 2021

May is Museum Month and the theme for 2021 is “The Future of Museums: Recover and Reimagine.” Could there be a more appropriate theme for 2021?  To me, this theme speaks to healing from the losses felt in 2020 and more importantly, thinking outside the box in 2021. We may be a small Museum, but we often feel mighty! As a result, we are always daydreaming of innovative ways to connect and serve our resilient, strong, and beautiful community. For us, community and purpose go hand in hand, and at the heart of it – all of our programming efforts, exhibits, events, conservation work, research - all go back to one simple mission: to preserve & celebrate our collective memories – your memories!

In celebration of Museum Month, I’m sharing with you a few of the new ways we are striving to re-imagine and connect with you, and also hinting at our future plans 😉  

YouTube Channel – Peterborough Museum & Archives

Pre-COVID, the Peterborough Museum & Archives' YouTube channel had only 3 videos and was in need of some TLC. In the midst of COVID lockdowns, we knew we had to grow this channel to stay fresh, current and connect with the public. After conquering a few bouts of stage fright and tackling the world of video editing, our channel has over 50 videos spanning 4 categories! This includes our History from Home video series where curator Kim shares hidden treasures from our collection and a Crafternoons with the PMA series featuring simple crafts to make at home. See below for our most viewed video in 2020. 

Museum At Home Adventure Kits

These fun kits, are a way for us to bring a piece of Museum programming into your home. Launched in April, each kit includes hands-on learning activities and are the perfect rainy day activity or cure to the “I’m bored” blues. We currently have three themes available: Codes, Ciphers and Spies, Digging up the Dirt (Archaeology), & Geometry of Quilts. Each can be purchased through our Facebook Shop! Our minds are spinning with new potential themes and ways to re-invent these versatile kits. In fact, we may have a little something in the works that we'll be sharing soon!

MUSE Summer Film Festival

MUSE International Fine Films is a film series offered in partnership with Toronto International Film Festival Circuit Group. This series is usually offered twice yearly (Winter/Spring & Fall) at Galaxy Cinemas Peterborough and has been bringing Canadian and International film to Peterborough since 1998! Sadly, this program came to a halting stop when the pandemic hit.

However, we are excited to share a reinvented version of this popular program. It’s retro, it’s nostalgic and we feel the perfect event for summer 2021. If you haven't already guessed... MUSE Fine Films is heading to the drive-in! 

MUSE will be offering two evenings of drive-in fun this summer in partnership with the PTBOLive Summer Concert Series, hosted by the Peterborough Memorial Centre. We will be screening the same high-quality, new release films you can always expect from MUSE. Tickets are available for purchase beginning Tuesday, May 25 through the Grant Thornton Box Office. Additional details can be found on our website. Load up the car, bring your favourite snacks and join us at the drive in! 

Online Gift Shop

Always a labour of love, our gift shop holds a special place in our hearts. Full of local and unique goodness, our shop has items for young and old at a variety of price points. With our physical space being closed to the public, we have been working to make our products available online. Currently, our Facebook Shop features a curated selection of goods, including the Museum Adventure Kits listed above. At the moment, if there are items you'd like to purchase, simply give the Museum a call at 705.743.5180, we will arrange payment and pick-up time, and will provide curbside delivery. However, we have big plans for this small shop and are working towards a more user-friendly shopping experience. Watch for the launch of this new platform soon. 

Museum Classroom

Last, but not least is this monthly blog series! Museum Classroom began in February, and is a way for us to connect and share free learning materials. Created as a means to connect virtually during a time when our doors were closed,  I believe the potential for this blog is endless. As newbie blog writers, we are still learning but are having so much fun with this new platform! Share all of your blogging tips below as we continue to dream up some new ideas.  

Museum Month is always a time that we reflect, share and plan for the future! There is no denying that this pandemic has pushed Museums to change & grow in unexpected ways. However, it is often in the midst of uncertainty that we are forced to be creative. Many of the changes implemented as a result of the pandemic, will ultimately improve visitor experience for years to come. There is still lots of work to do, but we feel the future for Museums is bright and we are excited to see where this trajectory will lead. What changes would you like to see at the Peterborough Museum? How do you envision the future visitor experience?  

Virtually yours,

Faryn