Farewell to Lisa!

After more than 7 years as Education Officer and even longer as a summer student and volunteer at Myrtleville House Museum and the Brant Historical Society, Lisa Anderson is moving on to a new chapter in her life.

"With mixed feelings I am letting everyone know that I will be leaving the Myrtleville Museum and the Brant Historical Society on June 20, 2014. I made the decision to leave to give me the opportunity to help my husband on his family’s dairy farm and recently I was offered a part time position with the Canadian Diabetes Association which will allow me to work both on and off the farm. 

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Myrtleville House Museum as the education officer.  Since 2008 I have had the opportunity to see thousands of students at Myrtleville or in the classroom. I have enjoyed decorating the house for a Victorian Christmas, baking cookies, making crafts, making wooden toys, and doing old fashioned laundry. My favourite experience was playing the strict teacher from the 1860s for our School Bells program.   

I have thoroughly enjoyed working with the volunteers at Myrtleville House and have appreciated their dedication.  Thank you to the education committee who continue to be committed to improving our education programs.  Through our partnership with Brantford Laurier and Nipissing University I have had the opportunity to work with many fourth year con-current education students.  They have been an asset to our museum and to our programming. 

Sarah Thomas has accepted the position of education officer.  I wish her all the best. 

Thank you for a wonderful seven years!

Lisa Anderson

Education Officer "

The Staff and Board of the Brant Historical Society would like to thank Lisa for consistently going above and beyond in her role as Education Officer, and for making Myrtleville an even more welcoming and wonderful place to be. We wish her the very best of luck in her new endeavours.

We would also like to take this opportunity to formally welcome Sarah Thomas, who will be beginning her role as Education Officer on June 23rd. Welcome to the Historical Society, Sarah!

Brant Museum Inventory Project

If you've been to the museum lately, you'll probably notice a lot of changes. First, and probably most noticeable as you walk in through the front doors, we've changed our Victorian Parlour into office space.

New view from my desk. Stop by & say hi!

We're up front so that we can actually see folks coming in through the door, and so that we can assist our visitors right away.

The other thing you'll notice is that our programming room is overtaken with packing materials and inventory tools, and that several artefacts have come out of their regular hiding spots for their moment to shine.

Affectionately known as "The Marshmallows": giant rolls of foam and bubble wrap.
Yes, that's right. A giant roll of bubble wrap. 

The inventory project aims to make sure that all objects in the BHS collection are a) qualified, b) catalogued in our digital database, and c) packaged and stored correctly according to Ontario and Canadian museum association guidelines.

John busy cataloguing among the boxes

The project is an enormous undertaking, but one that is very necessary. You might have heard rumblings that the museum is moving. It is true that the current building which houses the museum is at capacity when it comes to storage, and it's also true that the BHS is examining other opportunities when it comes to a physical plant. In the meantime, it behooves the museum to have its collection properly stored in portable solutions so that, in the event a new building is in the immediate future, we're ready to go at the drop of a fashionable 19th century top hat.

Justin wrapping objects ready to be stored.

The Inventory Project has been ongoing and all-encompassing. Despite the fact that a couple of our exhibition rooms are being used as workspaces, and if you will pardon our dust, the Brant Museum & Archives is still open for business and ready to serve. The Brant Square exhibit is open to the public, as well as the Famous Faces exhibit, which will be replaced over the summer with a new exhibit. The research facilities are also in full functioning form, and are free to use for BHS members. Bring your research project and spend a day at the museum!

Bust of Judge Hardy, honorary co-manager of the Inventory Project,
pictured here among packaged and boxed books

Judge Hardy, being judgy. 

We're open our regular hours during the summer, Monday through Friday, 10am-4pm.