Summer Seekers is back!
July 7th, 2021
Summer Seekers is back! The first set of activities will be released on Monday, July 12th.
This year, our activities are designed to get us away from our screens, and connecting with others. The first new module is Wet ‘nâ Wild! Get outside, splash around, and learn about the importance of freshwater rivers.
What is Summer Seekers?
Summer Seekers is an at-home weekly program for kids aged 4-11 where we encourage you to explore how people lived and played in Goulbourn 150 years ago. Every other Monday, join us for a new set of activities, from games to food to crafts! Youâll have the chance to earn prizes while you learn some cool new skills!
You can find the modules here:Â https://goulbournmuseum.ca/summer-seekers-2021/
What are Badges and how do they work?
Our Summer Seekers digital badges will help you track your accomplishments as you go and give you the chance to earn prizes!
Each week, you can earn badges by completing certain activities or challenges! When you complete a challenge, simply fill out this form to request your badge. The museum will deliver all badges for the week by email every Friday. You can download badges to your computer or, if you create an account on Badgr, store them in a personal âdigital backpack.â The final day to submit for badges is Monday, September 6.
For every FIVE badges you earn, you will receive a prize in the mail! The Museum will contact you when you become eligible for this offer, available to any residents of Canada.
Keep an eye out for take-home kits available throughout the summer.
Share your photos!
Did you take any pictures while completing a Summer Seekers activity? We would love to see them! Please email them to info@goulbournmuseum.ca.
Our 2020 modules are still up and running, and you can still earn badges from them! If you havenât completed them, give them a try, or revisit your favourite activities from last year.Â
We canât wait to have some fun with you!
National Indigenous Peoples Day: Acknowledgement
June 21st, 2021
Today is National Indigenous Peoples Day and the Goulbourn Museum is located on the traditional unceded territory of the Algonquin AnishinĂ beg. This land was taken under Treaty 27 and 27 Âź, also known as the Rideau Purchase of 1819/1822. The Algonquin AnishinĂ be peoples have lived on and cared for this land since time immemorial. We deeply appreciate their historic connection to this place and thank them for their contributions, as well as the contributions of the MĂŠtis, Inuit, and other Indigenous peoples in shaping and strengthening this community.
As an institution mandated to preserve and communicate local culture, it is absolutely necessary to acknowledge the purposeful exclusion of Indigenous peoples and their culture throughout recorded history. This acknowledgement recognizes the contributions and historical importance of Indigenous peoples. The Goulbourn Museum is committed to denouncing historical and ongoing cultural genocide against these groups, decolonizing our narratives, and relaying informed representations of the past by contextualizing research with Algonquin AnishinĂ be perspectives where appropriate.
Our acknowledgement is subject to change and growth as we learn and become more involved in our community. We aspire to be a gathering place for all walks of life and hope that one day, every one of our neighbours will see themselves reflected in our museum.
Meet Our 2021 Summer Students
May 26th, 2021
Please join us in welcoming our three summer employees: Jonah Ellens, Nigel Klemencic-Puglisevich, and Paige Mawson. The trio have some pretty impressive accomplishments between them, as well as some outstanding hobbies and interests. We’re very excited for you to read all about them and for the adventures we’ll have together as a team this summer!
Jonah Ellens, Assistant Curator of Collections
I was born and raised in Ottawa and continue to reside in this wonderful city. I studied history at Carleton University and Museum Studies at Algonquin College. In September Iâll be heading back to school to begin my Masters in Public History.
This summer I will be taking on the role of Assistant Curator of Collections. My first tasks are to oversee the transcription project of Sefton Stewartâs letters from the First World War, and to help develop the weekly âWhatâs It Wednesdayâ posts. Over the next few months Iâm hoping to learn what makes a meaningful community museum collection and discover more about the history of Goulbourn Township.
In my free time I enjoy re-enacting the War of 1812 with the 100th Regiment of Foot, sewing historical outfits and building scale model airplanes. I hope to one day design a history-themed board game.
Fun Fact: I first encountered Sefton Stewartâs letters when I portrayed him on screen in âRichmond, The Film.â
Nigel Klemencic-Puglisevich, Assistant Museum Administrator
Iâm so happy to have the opportunity to return to Goulbourn Museum, this time as the Assistant Museum Administrator! Iâm currently in my final year at Carleton University studying for my BA Hons. in Greek & Roman Studies and History with minors in Archaeology and Medieval & Early Modern Studies. Iâve worked in museums and archives for a number of years now and am so excited to continue gaining experience at Goulbourn Museum in the areas of communication and administrative assistance.
My work in this field first started at Clarington Museum & Archives in my hometown of Bowmanville. My love of heritage has brought me to a variety of opportunities, mostly in the areas of digitization, social media, digital content development, and research. After I finish my BA, I plan to pursue a Masters of Archaeology, specifically researching medieval Malta, and continue working in museums there.
When Iâm not working, I enjoy researching my family history in Malta, Slovenia, Romania, and England. I also enjoy cooking, gardening, reading, and learning different languages. I can get by in Maltese, Swedish, and German and I can decently read Etruscan, Latin, and Ancient Greek. I’m currently learning Arabic and I could probably manage Italian and Spanish in a survival situation!
Iâm looking forward to this summer and the variety of projects Iâll be working on with Goulbourn Museum!
Fun fact: Iâm slated to appear in an upcoming David Suzuki documentary!
Paige Mawson, Programming Assistant
I am a graduate of McMaster Universityâs Arts & Science program and Iâm currently pursuing my Masterâs Degree in Museum Studies at the University of Toronto. I come to the Goulbourn Museum with a background in pedagogy and curriculum, and will be applying my skillset to develop the Summer Seekers programming. Iâm based in Toronto (thank goodness for Zoom meetings!) and over the summer I hope to learn more about exhibition planning and community outreach to further enrich my skills as an emerging museum professional. Iâm excited to get to know the Goulbourn community and immerse myself in the rich history of the area.
Outside of work, Iâm an avid equestrian (I have four horses: Gretzky, Falco, Freddie and UFO!) and I participate in international showjumping competitions. Iâm also a farmer! Every summer I harvest hay on my family farm in King, Ontario. My interests in agriculture and education inspired me to write a journal article on the pedagogy in the community garden programming at the Jewish day school where I grew up. It is published in Volume 29 of Canadian Jewish Studies. You can read it HERE.
Fun Fact: As an equestrian showjumper, I was the Canadian Junior Jumper Champion in 2013, and I continue to represent Canada as an individual and on teams in international competitions.
2021 Speaker Series: The Science Behind The Costume
April 26th, 2021
Discover the world of historical costuming with Loree Tannett as she shares her process for creating clothing items that bring the past alive. Goulbourn Museum invites you to join us for this exciting second installment of our 2021 Speaker Series on Wednesday, May 19 at 7:00 pm.
You’ve probably seen people dressed up in period garb at living history museums or historical re-enactments – but what goes into making these costumes? Loree Tannett will give you a behind-the-scenes look at the steps required for creating historical costumes, including the extensive research required, sewing individual clothing items, and putting together an outfit.
Loree Tannett is a Perth-based seamstress and costume designer. She enjoys merging the look of historical costuming with the comfort of modern clothing. She thinks that using costumes makes the museum experience more real and gives visitors a look into the lives of the people of the area highlighted in the museum.
This event will take place over Zoom. Upon registering, participants will receive an email confirmation. On the day of the event, we will email participants an invitation to access the Zoom meeting. Please register by noon on May 19 in order to receive the Zoom invitation.
The event will start promptly at 7:00 pm and run for one hour. We encourage attendee participation during the Question and Answer period.
For any questions, please email register@goulbournmuseum.ca.
See you there!
Watch Now! How the Women’s Institute Preserves Community Histories
April 26th, 2021
On April 15, 2021 Goulbourn Museum welcomed Mara Benjamin, curator of the Erland Lee Museum, to speak on the key role that Women’s Institutes have played in preserving the local histories of small-town Ontario. If you missed the live event, you can watch the recording on our YouTube channel.
NOW HIRING: THREE POSITIONS
April 1st, 2021
The Goulbourn Museum is excited to announce that we are looking for three post-secondary students for the following positions:
- Assistant Museum Curator: Duties include working with the collection, cataloguing artefacts, supporting research requests, and daily operations.
- Programming Assistant: Duties include the development and delivery of public programs and events and facilitating visitor experiences.
- Assistant Museum Administrator: Duties include updating social media channels and website, supporting communications and marketing, and assisting with operational administration.
Interested? Click above on the job titles above to learn more about each one. Apply by emailing your application to tracey@goulbournmuseum.ca by 11:59PM on April 18, 2021.
2021 Speaker Series: How Women’s Institutes Preserve Community Histories
March 30th, 2021
Learn about the instrumental role that Women’s Institutes have played in preserving local histories with guest speaker Mara Benjamin.
About this Event
Goulbourn Museum invites you to join us on Thursday, April 15 at 7:00 pm for the inaugural installment of our 2021 Speaker Series. Join Mara Benjamin, curator at the Erland Lee Museum, as she walks us through the key role that Women’s Institutes have played in preserving the local histories of small-town Ontario.
Title: One Tweedsmuir at a Time: How the Womenâs Institute preserves community histories
Topic: Since its inception at the Erland Lee (Museum) Home in 1897, the Womenâs Institute (WI) has been dedicated to empowering, educating, and supporting women. WI members have worked tirelessly to improve their communities through fundraising and advocacy and have preserved their local histories through Tweedsmuir Community History Books for generations. Now, nearly 150 years after the WI began, we continue to record our histories for those who come after us through branch Tweedsmuirs. Thanks to the support of Library & Archives Canada, we have been able to scan and make public hundreds of Tweedsmuirs through our Virtual Archives website. So, while our method of preserving history may be changing, our dedication to our communities remains the same. For Home & Country.
About the Presenter: Mara Benjamin is the Curator at the Erland Lee (Museum) Home. Prior to coming on as curator, she was an active volunteer at the museum and worked as the Leeâs summer intern for a few summers during her undergraduate degree. Mara completed an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology & Archaeology from McMaster University before going on to earn her Master of Museum Studies degree from the University of Toronto. When she is not working at the museum, reading about museums, or visiting museums, Mara enjoys hiking, crocheting, and tending to her house plants and balcony garden.
Event Logistics: To register, click HERE. Upon registering, participants will receive an email confirmation. This event will take place over Zoom. On the day of the event, we will email participants an invitation to access the Zoom meeting. Please register by noon on April 15 in order to receive the Zoom invitation.
The event will start promptly at 7:00 pm and run for one hour. We encourage attendee participation during the Question and Answer period.
For any questions, please email register@goulbournmuseum.ca.
What’s in a Name: Questions & Answers
March 6th, 2021
During the live âWhatâs in a Name?â discussion on February 23rd, the Museum received many questions. Due to time constraints, we could not answer them all. We’ve taken unanswered questions directly from the Zoom Q&A and Chat transcript and have done our best to provide answers, which you can read by clicking HERE. These answers are subject to change as the Museum continues its research.
What’s in a Name: A Transparent Look at Sir Henry Goulburn and Slavery
February 24th, 2021
If you watch the video above, please fill out this follow-up survey.
Last night, Goulbourn Museum hosted a live discussion on Goulbourn Township’s namesake, Sir Henry Goulburn. This discussion was recorded and can now be watched on our YouTube!
For more information on this event, please click HERE.
What’s in a Name: Synopsis & Annotated Bibliography
February 22nd, 2021
Tomorrow, Goulbourn Museum is hosting a live information session and community discussion on Sir Henry Goulbourn and slavery. This will be the first in a series of public discussions on the topic, but in order to get this conversation started, we want to share our research and sources. We highly recommend reading our synopsis prior to tomorrow’s discussion. Looking forward to seeing you there!
Click below to view and download:
To learn more about the event or to sign up, click HERE.
