A natural history treasure - the skeleton of a giant blue whale, which was removed from Prince Edward Island for display in a new centre at the University of British Columbia is nearing completion on its great journey from the sands of PEI to become the centrepiece of the new
Beaty Biodiversity Museum.
Updates from the Blue Whale Project keep track of the progress. The continued progress on the West Coast to ensure that natural history education is available to BC residents helps show the value of this form of education to a research and educational institution like UBC. Sadly their progress once again reminds those of us on the East Coast of our own lack of progress. Islanders have been calling for a natural history museum since 1881. More recently we have seen strong public support for the fulfillment of the natural history mandate of the PEI Museum & Heritage Foundation which was granted in 1983 by the Legislature of PEI - and still not a single employee has been hired. And no plan is in place to begin addressing this mandate.
The Robert Ghiz government was elected on a strong platform that included a commitment to a central provincial museum. While solid progress has been made since on many important issues, the natural history mandate is one that remains untouched. The time to keep sending our valuable artifacts to world class museums around the world is over. The time to tell our story - the story of life on earth - and more particularly life on this very special part of our planet is now.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Birds of Prince Edward Island (1891) by Francis Bain
Now available, thanks to the Internet Archives, the historic Birds of Prince Edward Island : their habits and characteristics (1891) by Francis Bain, as a digital reproduction.
Monday, February 1, 2010
P.E.I. children's museum in planning stages
As published in The Guardian - Feb 1, 2010
CASSANDRA BERNARD
The Guardian
A place for children and their families to go and participate in hands on, educational exhibits may be available to Islanders soon.
The P.E.I. government is funding a study to see if a children’s museum should be considered.
David Keenlyside, executive director of the P.E.I. Museum and Heritage Foundation, is a supporter of the idea. He said anything that provides learning for children is a great idea.
“Research is being done to see if we have the resources to create the centre and to sustain it,” he said.
Keenlyside said meetings are coming up soon to start planning for a provincial museum for Prince Edward Island and a children’s museum is something Islanders should have the opportunity to partake in.
“There has been no proposal yet indicating any direction they want to go in, but I will provide whatever resources I can,” he said.
Keenlyside helped set up the Canadian Children’s Museum in Ottawa in the mid 1980s. The museum includes exhibits about how people live in other countries, a house-building exhibit and a playground based on a international port.
“Anything benefiting children and their families should be supported, but can we afford it is the question. It’s in the works we just need to wait to see what they are asking for. Most children centres are educational centres and were not sure what scale they are going for yet.”
Keenlyside said he doesn’t think the Island is in a position to deny the idea; it should have the best learning environments for the children in whatever form that may take.
“Wherever there is a need, that’s where the focus will be. These centres are extensions to schools and provides things kids get excited about and that’s great,” he said.
“Kids coming with their families makes it more positive. A lot of the visitation is from family members such as parents and grandparents; sometimes they feel intimidated to learn but here they have the opportunity. We want to make it better for Islanders.”
However, Keenlyside cautioned that there are no specific details in the planning of a children’s museum yet.
CASSANDRA BERNARD
The Guardian
A place for children and their families to go and participate in hands on, educational exhibits may be available to Islanders soon.
The P.E.I. government is funding a study to see if a children’s museum should be considered.
David Keenlyside, executive director of the P.E.I. Museum and Heritage Foundation, is a supporter of the idea. He said anything that provides learning for children is a great idea.
“Research is being done to see if we have the resources to create the centre and to sustain it,” he said.
Keenlyside said meetings are coming up soon to start planning for a provincial museum for Prince Edward Island and a children’s museum is something Islanders should have the opportunity to partake in.
“There has been no proposal yet indicating any direction they want to go in, but I will provide whatever resources I can,” he said.
Keenlyside helped set up the Canadian Children’s Museum in Ottawa in the mid 1980s. The museum includes exhibits about how people live in other countries, a house-building exhibit and a playground based on a international port.
“Anything benefiting children and their families should be supported, but can we afford it is the question. It’s in the works we just need to wait to see what they are asking for. Most children centres are educational centres and were not sure what scale they are going for yet.”
Keenlyside said he doesn’t think the Island is in a position to deny the idea; it should have the best learning environments for the children in whatever form that may take.
“Wherever there is a need, that’s where the focus will be. These centres are extensions to schools and provides things kids get excited about and that’s great,” he said.
“Kids coming with their families makes it more positive. A lot of the visitation is from family members such as parents and grandparents; sometimes they feel intimidated to learn but here they have the opportunity. We want to make it better for Islanders.”
However, Keenlyside cautioned that there are no specific details in the planning of a children’s museum yet.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
P.E.I. Museum Collection Running Out of Room
Jason MacNeil, collections manager for the P.E.I. Museum, stands among a tiny portion of the treasures stored at the artifactory. MacNeil says the facility and seven heritage sites across the province are full. Photo special to The Guardian by Charlotte MacAulayCHARLOTTE MACAULAY Special to The Guardian
as published by The Guardian Dec 30, 2009
The P.E.I. Museum collection is almost full to capacity and soon there will be no room to store more Island treasures, says the museum’s collections manager.
Jason MacNeil said some donations of larger pieces that require a controlled environment will have to be turned away because the artifactory and the seven heritage sites across the Island are full.
“We will survive and do the best we can until we get something better, but the need is getting more and more urgent.”
MacNeil said donations to the P.E.I. collection have increased significantly since the plans to build a new artifactory in Murray River were shut down.
“It keeps us in the minds of people when they are going through Aunt Martha’s attic.”
MacNeil said since renovations in 2007 there are no environmental issues with the facility, but they would do better with more staff.
“That’s just caring for it (the collection); exhibition is a whole different issue.”
A report outlining the costs of a provincial museum commissioned by government was tabled in the provincial legislature Dec. 1. Communities and Cultural Affairs Minister Carolyn Bertram said the report looked at 11 different options.
Bertram said one that brings the P.E.I. Museum all under one roof is the most desirable, yet the most costly at $41 million.
“Our next step is to review all the options and then secure the funding,” she said.
Bertram said if the province were to go with the $41-million option, funding from the other provinces could be a possibility since the Island is the birthplace of Confederation. She said tying the opening to the 150th anniversary of Confederation in 2014 would give the federal government a reason to contribute.
MacNeil said a centrally located museum and storage facility is ideal.
He said an exhibition of the artifacts last year at the Confederation Centre Art Gallery to celebrate 40 years as the P.E.I. Museum and Heritage Foundation displayed a very small fraction of the collection, which houses over 80,000 items.
One option the province is looking at is similar to The Rooms, the provincial museum in Newfoundland, Marketing and development director for the Rooms, Chrysta Collins, said their museum cost $51 million to build.
She said the structure houses public archives, provincial art gallery, exhibit space and environmentally controlled artifact storage. She said people knew something had to be done to preserve the province’s collection.
“There was not a lot of kickback to the cost.”
Construction began in 2002 and with a one-year delay, due to financial constraints, was completed in 2005.
The Rooms has a yearly operating budget of $6 million and with revenues from admission fees and event rentals they break even. Admission fees run from $5-$7.50 with a family rate of $20. The museum operates under the Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation and is a non-profit Crown corporation.
The Rooms houses an art gallery. P.E.I. would not need an art gallery included in its plans as the Confederation Centre of the Arts is the main gallery for the Island.
Autumn Tremere from the Department of Communities and Cultural Affairs said financial terms regarding the day-to-day operations of a P.E.I. provincial museum can’t be decided on until the museum becomes a reality.
See comments about this article posted by readers on The Guardian site - Dec 30, 2009
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Provincial museum could cost $41M: report
As published by CBC News - Wednesday, December 2, 2009
The P.E.I. government says a new provincial museum may cost as much as $41 million and it will be looking to the rest of the country to provide some of the money.
The ruling Liberals promised to build a provincial museum more than a year ago. P.E.I. is the only province in Canada without a centrally located museum.
Carolyn Bertram, the minister of communities, cultural affairs and labour, tabled a study in the legislature on Tuesday that laid out several sizes and configurations for a possible museum.
The largest and fanciest of those options would cost more than $41 million.
"Government now has to do some number crunching and see the best solution for Islanders and to secure the resources necessary," Bertram said.
"Again, $40 million is a lot of money right now when we look at the economy and the needs that are presented across our province."
She insisted the project was not dead and that the province hopes to get money from the federal government by linking the museum to 2014 and the 150th anniversary of the Charlottetown conference that led to Confederation.
Bertram said any cost-sharing with Ottawa would likely happen under an infrastructure program.
"Government is continuing to work on this and it's very important in our department," she said.
Ian Scott, a heritage advocate and a former head of the P.E.I. Museum and Heritage Foundation, said he's disappointed the province isn't moving to build a museum right away, but he has hope it will still happen.
"It may not be on this year's capital list, but that's encouraging news that this is still a front-burner project for the provincial government," he said.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
A museum to house our heritage
Editorial as published by The Guardian, Dec 5, 2009
We, as a province, have to decide if our history is worth preserving
Members of the P.E.I. Museum and Heritage Foundation and its many supporters must be disappointed with developments, or lack of, in recent weeks in connection with a provincial museum.
Last fall, the province made a firm commitment to proceed with a centrally-located provincial museum, and stated that plans to build such a facility would proceed "within a few years." Nothing has happened since then.
There was no mention of a provincial museum in the speech from the throne, or in the capital budget released last week. The province detailed nearly $500 million in spending priorities for the next five years but among the schools, manors and roads, there was nary a mention of a museum.
All the signs indicate that the province is backing away from fulfilling its museum promise. The provincial government's stimulus spending binge does appear to have a limit after all.
A study was released this week that suggested a facility to house a provincial museum, archives and records facility under one roof is estimated at a staggering $41 million. There are obviously other less expensive options for a museum. The former Dominion Building on lower Queen Street has always been a favourite among some museum supporters. One of the recently closed schools in the Eastern District could be utilized as well.
There comes a point when action must be taken. When the Liberals killed plans to build an artifactory in Murray River two years ago, it left more than 80,000 items of historical significance languishing in a warehouse at the West Royalty Industrial Park. The Opposition may be going too far by suggesting that the government has no intention of building a museum. Government says it will, but apparently only if Ottawa and other provinces help out as part of the 150th anniversary celebrations of the 1864 Charlottetown Conference. Provincial Treasurer Wes Sheridan waxed on last week about this option but he made a poor job of trying to explain his rationale, leaving people wondering why P.E.I. was trying to 'pick the pockets' of Ottawa and other provinces.
What Mr. Sheridan seemed to be talking about was the suggestion first formulated and forcefully presented by Edward MacDonald of the Department of History at UPEI.
MacDonald sees the upcoming 2014 sesquicentennial celebrations of the Charlottetown Conference as a funding opportunity to create a memorial similar to the Fathers of Confederation Memorial Trust built to mark the 100th anniversary of Confederation. He says a state-of-the-art provincial museum to complement the province-wide network of small, theme heritage sites would be a suitable memorial for the nation. It's a solid argument.
More than $400-million of tax dollars helped mark the 400th anniversary of the founding of Québec City. This province contributed $500,000 to the Vancouver Olympics and another $500,000 to operate Atlantic Canada House during those games. No one can argue that we don't pay our share. There is a valid argument that a museum should be the major legacy of the 2014 celebrations.
There will always be solid arguments that the money for a museum would be better spent elsewhere, whether it be on a catastrophic drug program, seniors housing or any number of similar pressing issues. But as a province we have to decide if we think our heritage, our history and our accomplishments are worth preserving and showcasing. We are the only province without a central museum. It's an embarrassment and a solution must be found quickly.
We, as a province, have to decide if our history is worth preserving
Members of the P.E.I. Museum and Heritage Foundation and its many supporters must be disappointed with developments, or lack of, in recent weeks in connection with a provincial museum.
Last fall, the province made a firm commitment to proceed with a centrally-located provincial museum, and stated that plans to build such a facility would proceed "within a few years." Nothing has happened since then.
There was no mention of a provincial museum in the speech from the throne, or in the capital budget released last week. The province detailed nearly $500 million in spending priorities for the next five years but among the schools, manors and roads, there was nary a mention of a museum.
All the signs indicate that the province is backing away from fulfilling its museum promise. The provincial government's stimulus spending binge does appear to have a limit after all.
A study was released this week that suggested a facility to house a provincial museum, archives and records facility under one roof is estimated at a staggering $41 million. There are obviously other less expensive options for a museum. The former Dominion Building on lower Queen Street has always been a favourite among some museum supporters. One of the recently closed schools in the Eastern District could be utilized as well.
There comes a point when action must be taken. When the Liberals killed plans to build an artifactory in Murray River two years ago, it left more than 80,000 items of historical significance languishing in a warehouse at the West Royalty Industrial Park. The Opposition may be going too far by suggesting that the government has no intention of building a museum. Government says it will, but apparently only if Ottawa and other provinces help out as part of the 150th anniversary celebrations of the 1864 Charlottetown Conference. Provincial Treasurer Wes Sheridan waxed on last week about this option but he made a poor job of trying to explain his rationale, leaving people wondering why P.E.I. was trying to 'pick the pockets' of Ottawa and other provinces.
What Mr. Sheridan seemed to be talking about was the suggestion first formulated and forcefully presented by Edward MacDonald of the Department of History at UPEI.
MacDonald sees the upcoming 2014 sesquicentennial celebrations of the Charlottetown Conference as a funding opportunity to create a memorial similar to the Fathers of Confederation Memorial Trust built to mark the 100th anniversary of Confederation. He says a state-of-the-art provincial museum to complement the province-wide network of small, theme heritage sites would be a suitable memorial for the nation. It's a solid argument.
More than $400-million of tax dollars helped mark the 400th anniversary of the founding of Québec City. This province contributed $500,000 to the Vancouver Olympics and another $500,000 to operate Atlantic Canada House during those games. No one can argue that we don't pay our share. There is a valid argument that a museum should be the major legacy of the 2014 celebrations.
There will always be solid arguments that the money for a museum would be better spent elsewhere, whether it be on a catastrophic drug program, seniors housing or any number of similar pressing issues. But as a province we have to decide if we think our heritage, our history and our accomplishments are worth preserving and showcasing. We are the only province without a central museum. It's an embarrassment and a solution must be found quickly.
Something needs to be done and done soon.
As first published on The Guardian website Dec 4, 2009
This excellent response to a recent Guardian article on the state of planning for the long promised new Provincial Museum building is well worth reading as it reflects well the voice of a young person who understands the value of museums.
Jennifer Donovan from Prince Edward Island writes: . . . As a young museum professional who has worked on the Island, all over the Maritimes, Canada, U.S., and even abroad, I can tell you that a provincial museum is needed more than ever on Prince Edward Island. Museums are institutions that inspire, educate, and connect us to our communities--they are more than mere tourist attractions. The PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation has an outstanding collection of material culture objects. Islanders need to see this stuff and have faith knowing that their history and heritage will be preserved for generations. We can't understand the present until we understand the past.
The government needs to build this museum! But does it have to cost 41 million dollars? I don't know, but something needs to be done and done soon.
This excellent response to a recent Guardian article on the state of planning for the long promised new Provincial Museum building is well worth reading as it reflects well the voice of a young person who understands the value of museums.
Jennifer Donovan from Prince Edward Island writes: . . . As a young museum professional who has worked on the Island, all over the Maritimes, Canada, U.S., and even abroad, I can tell you that a provincial museum is needed more than ever on Prince Edward Island. Museums are institutions that inspire, educate, and connect us to our communities--they are more than mere tourist attractions. The PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation has an outstanding collection of material culture objects. Islanders need to see this stuff and have faith knowing that their history and heritage will be preserved for generations. We can't understand the present until we understand the past.
The government needs to build this museum! But does it have to cost 41 million dollars? I don't know, but something needs to be done and done soon.
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