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The Bruce County Museum and Cultural Centre unveiled a special
exhibit Thursday evening (June 25).
After two years of negotiations, the Fresnel lens, once part of the
Cape Croker lighthouse, has found a new temporary home in the
Museum, thanks to the Coast Guard and First Nations of Nawash
Unceded.
The lens manufactured in France, as were all the lighthouse Fresnel
lenses, named after Fresnel who created them, is now the focal point
of a special Marine Exhibit area designed by the Museum's Chris
Irvine.
Irvine, who worked at Science North in Sudbury with the famous
exhibit designer, Miaki Taizo, the initiator of the Ontario Science
Centre exhibits, created the Museum's exhibit that depicts the
marine heritage of the region. Using many of the artifacts that the
Museum has housed for a number of years, the display sets out a
variety of unique aspects.
Former Southampton resident and model builder, Bruce Chapman, at the
request of Curator Barbara Ribey, handcrafted the ten lighthouses
that line the coast of Lake Huron. The models, in actual scale to
the real lighthouses, show the different styles of lighthouses that
exist and how some have changed over the years, while others have
remained relatively the same.
Maiki Taizo explained the value of interactive and hands-on exhibits
that have, in fact, changed the face of museums. "Museums used to be
a hands-off environment," explained Ta, "where people shuffled along
reading labels in a dusty, dim atmosphere. Thanks to two young
university students, Chris Irvine and Steve McCallum, who pushed me
on, the interactive style of museum design took shape, because human
beings learn by doing and not by being told."
Taizo went on to add that the experience of an unveiling of a new
exhibit also honours the volunteers, the community members and, most
importantly, the staff that work so hard behind the scenes. "As long
as a community realizes that this is for our children and
grandchildren, exhibits must change as the world changes. Museums
are about history and, as the word history comes from the ancient
Greek, meaning story and story telling, so too our indigenous
peoples have told their history through stories and that is what a
museum is intended to do - tell stories that every age can relate to
and come away from having had a learning experience.
Among the other dignitaries who attended, were Milt McIver
representing Bruce County and Mayor Mike Smith of Saugeen Shores,
who were joined by several invited guests. (next column)
28/06/2009 05:55 PM
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Curator Barbara Ribey greets crowd
Bruce Chapman explains his lighthouse display
Master exhibit designer, Maiki Taizo, shares stories of previous
projects
Sea cadets form honour guard |
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