Bala's Museum facts for kids
| Location | Bala, Ontario, Canada |
|---|---|
| Type | Lucy Maud Montgomery, |
Bala's Museum is a special place in Bala, Ontario, Canada. It's also known as "With Memories Of Lucy Maud Montgomery." This museum is run by Jack and Linda Hutton.
The museum used to be a boarding house in the early 1900s. It was run by Fanny Pike. Now, it holds interesting items from the Muskoka region. It also has many things related to Lucy Maud Montgomery. She was the famous author who wrote the Anne of Green Gables books. This is the only museum like it outside of Prince Edward Island. People from all over the world visit Bala's Museum. Many come for the yearly Anne of Green Gables Day. During this event, they re-enact Montgomery's visit to the area in 1922.
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How Bala's Museum Started
While on their honeymoon, Linda and Jack Hutton learned something amazing. They found out that Lucy Maud Montgomery visited Bala for two weeks in 1922. The place where Montgomery ate her meals, called the Tree Lawn Tourist Home, was for sale. It had been on the market for six years. The Huttons bought the building to save it from being torn down. They opened the museum on July 24, 1992. It was the first museum in Ontario to focus on Montgomery's life and her books.
What You Can See at the Museum
The museum has cool dioramas. These are 3D scenes that show parts of Montgomery's book Anne of Green Gables. You can also see a first-edition copy of the Green Gables book. There are even copies translated into other languages. The museum also has a copy of The Delineator magazine from 1905. This magazine features a painting of Montgomery by George Gibbs. This painting is used on the front cover of many Green Gables books.
One of the most valuable items the museum owns is original sheet music. It's from the 1919 Anne of Green Gables film. The Huttons bought it from eBay. They later found out they were bidding against the National Library of Canada! Even though the movie itself was destroyed, the museum has collected film stills from its production.
The collection also includes items that belonged to Lucy Maud Montgomery. You can see a silver tea set she received for her wedding in 1911. There's also a basket where she kept her letters. Plus, you can read parts of her diary from her visit to Bala.
A Special Historical Place
In 2013, Bala's Museum received a special honor. The township of Muskoka Lakes named it a historical site. This means it's an important place with a rich history.
See also
In Spanish: Museo de Bala para niños
