Spadina House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Spadina Museum |
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View toward the front entrance in 2021
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| General information | |
| Type | Mansion |
| Location | 285 Spadina Road Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Coordinates | 43°40′44″N 79°24′29″W / 43.679023°N 79.40815°W |
| Current tenants | Historic house museum (since 1984) |
| Construction started | 1866 |
| Client | James Austin |
| Owner | City of Toronto and Ontario Heritage Trust |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Vaux Chadwick (1896) Eustace Bird (1905–1912) |
| Designated: | July 26, 2019 |
| Designated: | March 31, 1976 |
Spadina Museum (pronounced spa-DEE-na), also known as Spadina House, is a historic mansion in Toronto, Ontario. It is now a historic house museum run by the City of Toronto. The museum keeps the house looking much like it did when the Austin family lived there.
The house shows off styles from the 1860s to the 1930s. These include Victorian, Edwardian, Arts and Crafts, Art Nouveau, and Art Deco designs. In 2010, the museum was updated to look like the 1920s and 1930s. The gardens around the house also show how they looked during the Austin family's time.
Contents
The History of Spadina House
The first house on this land was built in 1818 by Dr. William Warren Baldwin. He named his 200-acre property Spadina. This name comes from the Ojibwe word espadinong, meaning "hill" or "sudden rise of land." The house sits on top of a hill.
Baldwin designed the first two-story wooden house himself. It burned down in 1835. He then built a smaller country home on the property in 1836.
How the Austin Family Shaped Spadina
In 1866, James Austin, who started The Dominion Bank, bought the property. By then, the land was 80 acres. In the late 1800s, this area was one of Toronto's richest neighborhoods. Many important families had large homes here.
James Austin sold off some land in 1889. In 1892, he gave the house and 20 acres to his son, Albert William Austin. Albert made many changes to the house. He added a third floor in 1912. He also sold more land to the City of Toronto in 1913. Albert Austin passed away in 1933.
The last family member to live in the house was Anna Kathleen Thompson. She was Albert Austin's daughter. She lived there from 1942 until 1982. The house was old and needed a lot of repairs. The family decided to give the house and all its furniture to the city. In 1984, it opened as a museum. The City of Toronto and the Ontario Heritage Foundation now own it together. The museum is especially famous for its beautiful gardens.
Visiting Spadina Museum
Spadina House and its gardens are one of ten historic museums run by the City of Toronto. Visitors can learn what life was like for people in Toronto in the early 1900s.
The museum offers tours at certain times each day. These tours teach about the politics, economy, and social life of that time. There's also a "restoration tour" to show how the museum was fixed up. Other fun tours include "It’s a Kid’s Life" and "Meet the Austins: A Toronto Family in the 1920s and 1930s."
A special holiday event is "Flashman versus Evil: A Grudge Match." This show recreates a 1930s live radio play. It lets visitors experience radio just like the Austin family would have.
Spadina Historic House is also a popular spot for photos, films, weddings, and special events.
What Spadina House Looks Like
The house is located on top of Davenport Hill. This hill was once the shore of an ancient lake called Glacial Lake Iroquois. Nearby were other grand homes, like Casa Loma, built in 1911 by Sir Henry Mill Pellatt.
Architecture and Design
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The Austin Home's design mixes different styles. It has features from the Second Empire style, plus Victorian and Edwardian looks. Outside, you can see its bay windows, brick and stone terrace, and brick chimneys. There are also cool carvings of plants above the windows.
The oldest building on the property is a wooden stable from the mid-1800s. It was once used as a gardener's shed. Inside the house, you'll find a grand staircase, tall baseboards, and beautiful ceiling decorations. The house has 14 rooms and six common areas. Each room shows off different art and decorations.
Recent Renovations and Features
In 2010, the museum was updated with copies of the Austin family's original items. The wallpaper, kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom closet were all redone. Stuffed wolves, found in the family's old records, are now at the museum's entrance. There's also a statue from France of a woman. Because of its blue and pink colors, the museum staff call it “Wonder Woman.”
Another interesting item from the remodel is a special mechanical chair. Albert Austin designed it for himself when he had trouble moving around. The City of Toronto spent about $600,000 to update Spadina House.
The Gardens and Landscape
The natural land around Spadina House is protected by law. The estate originally had 200 acres of farmland. Even today, you can see a clear view of Downtown Toronto from the house.
Spadina House has beautiful outdoor spaces. These include formal gardens, an old orchard, a stone pergola, and a stone wall. There are now 6 acres of gardens that look like they did in 1905. These gardens have over 300 types of flowers and vegetables.
Awards and Recognition
Spadina Museum has won several awards for its work.
In 2004, it won the Peggi Armstrong Public Archaeology Award. It shared this award with the Ontario Heritage Trust.
In 2002, Spadina Museum won the Ontario Museum Association Award of Merit. This was for their Black History Month program called Meet Mrs. Pipkin. Mrs. Pipkin was a laundress at Spadina House in the 1860s. She had escaped slavery in the United States.
Spadina Museum was also nominated for the 2013 Toronto Heritage Award. This award honors owners who restore old buildings. The judges look at how well the building was restored and if it still keeps its original design.
See also
- List of museums in Toronto
- Mary Lake Augustinian Monastery
