Let's petition for a museum

As published in The Guardian - August 8, 2012

Editor:
In response to the story 'New MLA office building being proposed' (The Guardian, Aug. 2, 2012), we need a legacy for all Islanders to enjoy, not just a few politicians and judges.

Let's support a real museum for all to see. There is a tremendous collection of P.E.I. artifacts stored, but not shown. Some Islanders don't even know they even exist, especially the younger generation.

Could you imagine the stories our grandparents could tell about an artifact that they used on the farm or in their businesses? Politicians tell stories - some true, some not - but live artifacts tell real stories about real life. Now that's a legacy.

The anniversary of P.E.I. is coming in 2014 to celebrate the past. Show it in a museum. My suggestion is to spend the so-called dollars to purchase the old experimental farm property and construct a museum that all can enjoy all year round. Set up field trips for our school children, bus tours for visitors and all. Maybe even our politicians would learn a thing or two. Come on, Islanders, petition for a museum, not another building full of hot air.

Frank Murphy,
Charlottetown