HUNTSVILLE - A new exhibit gives people the chance to celebrate important pieces of Canada’s natural heritage.
The Muskoka Heritage Place exhibit Parks 101: A celebration of federal, provincial and municipal parks opens Saturday, July 21, at 11 a.m. inside the museum at 88 Brunel Rd., Huntsville.
Everyone is welcome and admission to the exhibit is free during the grand opening ceremony. Regular admission to the exhibit will be $2.
Ron Gostlin, Muskoka Heritage Place manager, said the exhibit is a celebration of the three categories of public parks that includes displays, information and an interactive knot-tying component.
Parks Canada celebrated its 100th anniversary last year, but the museum was hosting an exhibit about the G8 summit at that time. Staff suggested having an informative exhibit about all parks on the 101st anniversary would be the next best thing.
Gostlin said residents and visitors who visit the exhibit can celebrate the parks and pick up a few tidbits they may not have known before.
“There are some really interesting, quirky facts that people probably wouldn’t know about our park systems,” he said. “It’s pretty interesting, kind of fun and a little bit interactive.”
Parks represent Canada’s natural environment, stated the museum, and that environment has shaped the country’s geography, its history and the experiences of the people who live and travel here.
The exhibit, it stated, promises presentations and education on the theme of national, provincial, regional and local parks.
A ceremony and ribbon cutting will take place at the grand opening.
The Royal Canadian Mint provided backdrop artwork, the Algonquin Provincial Park museum archives provided a park warden uniform and photos, and Arrowhead Provincial Park provided photos, among other contributors.
The Friends of Muskoka Pioneer Village stepped up to the plate to fund the three-year exhibit after Huntsville town council denied staff’s funding request.
Bringing in new exhibits helps Muskoka Heritage Place meet its Ontario museum standards, which makes it eligible for provincial funding.