Huronia Museum facts for kids

The Huronia Museum is a cool place located in Midland, Ontario, Canada. It has a main building with awesome collections and an art gallery. There's also a special Huron/Ouendat (Wendat) village outside, complete with a fence (palisade) and longhouses. The museum is open all year. It holds nearly one million objects and welcomes about 20,000 visitors every year. You can see artifacts about Native history and the history of boats and ships. The museum also offers fun learning programs for schools and adults.

Discovering the Museum's Past

The Huronia Museum first opened its doors on July 1, 1947. It was originally in a large wooden house. This house belonged to James Playfair, a well-known businessman from Midland. The building you see today was a special project for Canada's 100th birthday. It officially opened on July 1, 1967. It is located in Little Lake Park, right next to the Huron/Ouendat (Wendat) Village.

What You Can See: Museum Exhibits

In 1976, the Historic Art of Huronia Gallery opened inside the museum building. This gallery shows amazing art by famous artists like David Milne, Homer Watson, and Manly MacDonald. You can also see works by Franklin Arbuckle, Hilton Hassell, and Mary Hallen. There are paintings by William J. Wood and Thor Hansen too. Even some Group of Seven artists, like A.Y. Jackson, Franz Johnston, and J. E. H. MacDonald, have art here.

The gallery also features modern art and special collections from the Ouendat and Ojibway First Nations. Other exhibits teach you about lighthouses in Georgian Bay. You can learn about shipwrecks and the history of boats and the military. There's also a huge collection of photos. These were taken by John W. Bald, a professional photographer from Midland.

Exploring the Huron Village

The Huron Village shows what life was like for the Huron people between the years 1500 and 1600. This was just before Europeans arrived. The village has many interesting parts. You can see a shaman's lodge and a wigwam. There are also masks, fish racks, and a longhouse. You can even see a corn field, a bone pit, and a fur drying rack.

The Huron Village was created by W. Wilfrid Jury (1890–1981). He was the Director of the Museum of Indian Archaeology and Pioneer Life at the University of Western Ontario. The village is based on Jury's work at an old site near Midland called the Forget site. The village first opened in 1956. In May 2007, a fire sadly destroyed three-quarters of the village. But it has since been rebuilt and is open to visitors again!

Images for kids

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  Huronia Museum in Little Lake Park, Midland, 1958

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  Huronia Museum in Little Lake Park, Midland, 1958

Museum Connections

The Huronia Museum is connected with several important groups. These include the CMA, the CHIN, and the Virtual Museum of Canada.