Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives facts for kids
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| Established | November 1968 |
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| Location | Brampton, Ontario, Canada |
| Type | museum/art gallery/archives for the Peel Region |
| Public transit access | Brampton Transit (Hurontario), various GO bus routes |
The Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives (PAMA) is a special place in Brampton, Ontario, Canada. It's like three places in one: an art gallery, a museum, and an archives. PAMA helps us learn about the history and art of the Regional Municipality of Peel.
This cool building used to be known as the Peel Heritage Complex. Before that, it was a group of important old buildings. These included the Peel County Courthouse, the Brampton Jail (also called the Peel County Gaol), a land registry office, and a county office building. You can find PAMA right across from Gage Park and Brampton City Hall.
In March 2010, the Peel Heritage Complex closed for a big makeover. It was expanded and updated to make it even better for visitors. The new and improved PAMA reopened in 2012. It now has much more space for everyone to explore and enjoy.
Contents
Discovering PAMA's History
People first tried to start a historical society in the early 1900s, but it didn't work out then. For many years, a large collection of art and historical items, called the William Perkins Bull collection, was kept at the Brampton High School. In the 1950s, the school needed to renovate, so the collection had to be moved.
Because of this, some citizens decided to create a new historical society. They wanted to focus on life in Peel County from the late 1700s to the 1930s. However, people weren't very interested in local history right after World War II, so the society became inactive by 1957.
In 1961, interested people met again to restart the group. They created a new plan and rules for the society. The County Council of Peel let them use the basement of the old Registry Office for their meetings. Regular meetings began in 1962.
To help raise money for a museum and art gallery, an art show was held in an old school house. It showed artworks by local artists and items from the Bull Collection. In 1963, a temporary home for the collection was found at the Credit Valley Conservation Authority offices. Many people visited the exhibits, but the building wasn't suitable for winter.
Later in 1963, the organization became part of the Ontario Historical Society again. They also displayed items at a big farming event called the International Ploughing Match. The society tried to get access to Hawthorne Lodge, which was the original home of the Bull family. Funds were not available at that time, but some old rural items from Peel were found and displayed.
In 1966, the Peel County Council decided that the old Registry Office building should be used for the society to set up a museum.
The museum officially opened on November 17, 1968. It had professionally designed exhibits and displays. Early museum displays focused on the area's rural past and its modern technology. The art gallery's first show featured a local watercolour artist and a sculptor.
In 1984, the Region of Peel took over running the facility. An architect named Carlos Ventin was hired to design a renovation of the old Peel County Jail and Peel County Registry Office. He also designed a new building to connect them.
This new design won awards in 1986 and 1987 for its excellent renovation work. The museum's curator, Bill Barber, wanted to show more recent history, like the the Great Depression. This was a new idea for museums at the time.
More and more people started visiting PAMA. Attendance grew from 6,000 visitors in 1985 to 24,000 in 1989!
Exploring PAMA's Buildings
The 2010-2012 renovations at PAMA were designed by Goldsmith Borgal and Company Ltd. Architects from Toronto. They made sure the old buildings were updated while keeping their historic charm.
The Cool Tunnel Connection
Did you know that PAMA has an 82-meter-long tunnel? This tunnel connects the different parts of the museum! It even has two skylights that let in natural light.
You enter the tunnel from the art gallery building, which was built in 1958. The tunnel then goes partly under the old Peel County Courthouse from 1867. Finally, it leads into a newer connecting building from 1986. This newer part joins the 1867 Peel County Jail and the old registry office from the 1890s. Building this tunnel was a big project. It required special work to support the old buildings above it.
What You Can See at PAMA
PAMA is divided into different sections, each offering something unique to explore.
The Museum: A Journey Through Time
The museum at PAMA has about 12,000 historical items. These objects tell the story of Peel from ancient times (around 4000 BCE) all the way to today.
Some cool things in the collection include items related to the Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow aircraft. This was a famous Canadian jet plane. There's also a collection of over 360 pieces of 19th-century stoneware. Plus, PAMA has a large collection of textiles, including local quilts and over 18,000 pieces of clothing!
The museum offers many exhibitions about Peel's history and culture. In the Region of Peel Museum, you can travel through time. You'll see everything from early Aboriginal settlements to the "Jet Age." All of this is inside the walls of the historic Jail building! You can see old items, documents, and try interactive activities. These all help tell "The Peel Story." The museum now has even more space for exhibitions after its reopening.
The Archives: Uncovering Old Records
The Region of Peel Archives is like a treasure chest of old documents. It mainly holds official papers from the Region of Peel, the City of Brampton, the City of Mississauga, and the Town of Caledon. It also has records from older townships that used to be in the area. These include things like old laws, meeting notes, and land records.
Besides government documents, the archives also collects other materials about Peel's history. This includes information about people and groups who helped build the community. There are major collections of photographs from newspaper photographers and commercial photographers.
The archives also keeps records from various organizations, like the Bruce Trail Conservancy.
In the reading room, you can look at microfilm copies of family history files. There are also old newspapers, land records, and census records from 1851 to 1911. You can find old wills and other important documents. There are also many books on family history and local history.
The Art Gallery: A World of Creativity
PAMA's permanent art collection has over 4,000 artworks. These include both modern and historical pieces. It's the biggest public art collection in the Peel region! Since it opened in 1968, the art gallery has shown works by local, national, and even international artists.
The Permanent Collection
When the gallery first opened, its collection focused on local artists and art about local subjects. Early shows featured artists like George Chauvignaud, who painted in Peel in the 1920s and 1930s. There was also a show of works by Caroline Armington, a printmaker born in Brampton.
In recent years, the collection has grown a lot. It now includes many works that show the development of abstract art in Canada during the 20th century. You can see art from early movements like Les Automatistes and Painters Eleven. There are also works by modern artists who create non-objective paintings, like David Urban and Ric Evans.
Other famous artists whose works are in the collection include Harold Town, Jack Bush, Claude Tousignant, and Guido Molinari. Some artists like William Ronald, John Meredith, and Ronald Bloore even lived in Brampton!
The collection also has important works by national artists. These pieces are recognized as having special Canadian cultural value.
Some of the many artists mentioned in the gallery's information include John Anderson, Caroline Armington, Frank Armington, John Armstrong, Carl Beam, Chuck Close, Tom Dean, Doris McCarthy, David Milne, Robert Motherwell, Andy Warhol, and Joyce Weiland. There's even a sketchbook by the famous Canadian painter Tom Thomson in the collection!
Special Exhibitions
PAMA often hosts special art exhibitions. These shows feature different themes and artists.
Some recent exhibitions include:
- Painted In Peel: The Peel Landscape by the Group of Seven and Their Contemporaries: This show featured works from PAMA's own collection. It also included art from the McMichael Canadian Art Collection and the Art Gallery of Ontario (in 2004).
- Wyn Geleynse: The Peel Projection: This was a special outdoor light projection by artist Wyn Geleynse (in November and December 2009).
In the 1970s, the gallery started a special art show where artists from all over Ontario could enter. The gallery also has the Peel Artists Series, which features artists from the local area.
Learning and Fun at PAMA
PAMA offers many educational programs for different age groups.
School programs are available for students. These can happen at the museum and gallery, or even at the schools themselves. There are also programs for seniors that visit old-age facilities. These programs cover a wide range of history and art topics, not just about Peel. In 2009, nearly 11,000 students and almost 6,000 seniors took part in these programs.
Collections at PAMA
The Peel Heritage Complex collects many different kinds of objects. These include:
- Items from the 1800s and early 1900s, like everyday tools, gadgets, and even wedding dresses.
- Archaeological artifacts (items found from ancient times).
- Historic and modern artworks, including paintings, drawings, and sculptures.
- Archival documents like photographs, government records, and maps.
Volunteers help the staff organize and list all these items. Most of the items in the collections were given as gifts by people living in Peel. These collections are used for exhibitions, programs, and for research by staff, volunteers, and visitors. A special group of experts reviews every potential donation to the Complex.
Exhibitions and Events
The Art Gallery of Peel usually features about eight exhibitions each year. These shows display artists from the Peel region, Ontario, and even across Canada. Every spring, the Gallery holds its Annual Juried Show. This is the longest-running judged art exhibition in the area, attracting artists from all over Peel and Southern Ontario.
Visitors to the Heritage Complex can also enjoy interactive displays, hands-on activities, and learning opportunities throughout the building.
Many special events happen throughout the year. These are great chances for the community to learn more about PAMA and Peel's history. You can explore the old items, documents, and artwork in the collections. Join PAMA for events like Heritage Day in February, Museum Day in May, Kidsummer in July, and Family Day in November.
PAMA's Connections
PAMA is connected with other important organizations. These include the CMA, the CHIN, and the Virtual Museum of Canada.
