St. Marys Museum builds community connections through education and events for the fall season

The St. Marys Museum prepares for the coming of fall with a full lineup of programming, from its annual Speaker Series to Halloween festivities and National Day for Truth and Reconciliation events.

By Alex Hunt

The St. Marys Museum is extending its mission beyond exhibits, offering a mix of community events and programs that drew large crowds this summer and are expected to continue through the fall.

Emily Taylor, curator assistant at the St. Marys Museum, told the Independent visitor attraction has risen throughout the summer months, due in part to success from the annual Melodies at the Museum, the Summer in St. Marys Passport, as well as the children’s scavenger hunt and outdoor lawn games. As summer programming concludes, the museum is eager to begin its fall lineup.

The museum kicked off the return of its popular Speaker Series recently, with the second talk set for Oct. 23 with a focus on the Rotary Club of St. Marys impact on the community in recognition of its 100th anniversary. The series concludes on Nov. 19 with a talk on the history of the quarries in St. Marys by Paul King and Larry Pfaff.

An upcoming exhibit called “Talking about Treaties 29” will tell the story of the Huron Tract purchase as well as explore local treaty history.

“In terms of developing the museum exhibits, we really do try to keep in mind what people are interested in and looking at what topics are missing or have not been discussed before,” said Taylor. “We make sure we have the archival records to build the exhibit, and it develops from there. There is the hope that people are able to know that the museum is a community space for them to come in and ask questions.”

The St. Marys Museum is also marking the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Sept. 30 by offering educational exhibits and interactive sessions focused on the history of residential schools. The programming highlights the history of Indigenous people in the area while encouraging reflection, healing and allyship within the community

“We want to make sure we are offering things that are very topical and that people are interested in,” Taylor said. “Our summer programs are focused a lot in conjunction with other events happening in the community, and a lot of our fall events are linked with town programming.”

In conjunction with the St. Marys Spooktacular event on Oct. 25, the museum will have two walking tours at the St. Marys Cemetery. More details about both events will be made available through the Town of St. Marys website.

With the Museum primarily running on donations, Taylor said the best way to get involved is to become a Friends of the St. Mary’s Museum member. Members gain access to the email list where they’re able to get first dibs on program registration and explore what future events, programming and exhibits will be available.

“It’s been so rewarding to have people come in and trust me with their questions, family belongings or archival material related to their family,” Taylor said. “Every donation or story shared feels like a piece of St. Marys history is being preserved for future generations.

“It’s meaningful to help connect people with their roots, to learn those personal stories and to see how they fit into the larger story of our community. For me, that trust, and those conversations are what makes working at the museum so special.”