The Lake of the Woods Museum in Kenora has long been considered one of the finest small museums in Canada. This year however, the CAA magazine has rated the museum as “one of the coolest little museums in Canada.”
Established in 1964, this now well-established museum is home to an extensive and intriguing collection of artifacts and local history archives, which serve not only as a basis for the permanent exhibits but also for changing thematic displays and special events.
The three levels of exhibit space are arranged according to a rough time-line beginning with a fascinating collection of aboriginal artifacts including colourful bead work, quill work, embroidery, jingle dresses, ceremonial pipes, birch bark and willow baskets, accented with photographs of the area’s first inhabitants, on the first level. In 2009, however, this area of
the gallery, has been changed to house the exhibit We Were Taught Differently: The Indian Residential School Experience. Using photographs and archival material from various sources, the exhibit focuses primarily on the two residential schools which operated in Kenora from the late 1890s until the 1970s.
The second exhibit level focuses on the everyday home and social life between 1890 and 1920, a time of tremendous growth for the town of Kenora. Sitting room, kitchen, and bedroom vignettes are set off with exhibits featuring: musical instruments; chamber pots; men’s and women’s clothing; jewellery; china and more.
Large display photographs illustrate what the area looked like one hundred years ago and what life was like when a day at Coney Beach involved crowds of people, when a fishing catch meant hundreds of pounds of trout, and when there were more birds found decorating hats than nesting in trees.
Lastly, the industrial development of the town is featured on the third level of exhibit space. Lumbering, mining, water power, flour milling, and lake transportation were vital to the area’s development. A diorama of the lake’s most successful gold mine, the Sultana, photographs of boat building and store interiors; Lake of the Woods Brewery artifacts; and outboard motors are just a sampling of what’s on display.
As well, the front lobby is the scene of temporary exhibits which are changed monthly.
Come and explore the area’s rich history with a visit to the Lake of the Woods Museum. During July and August, the museum is open daily from 10am – 5pm. From September through to June, it is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am – 5pm. Admission for adults is $3.00, for young people under 18 and seniors, admission is $2.00. For more information call (807)467-2105. www.lakeofthewoodsmuseum.ca
