Past Exhibits

2025

Stories from Storage: Spinning Through Time– Feb. 17 to Aug. 31, 2025

Stories from Storage explores spinning wheels and accessories found in the museum’s collection.  Explore spinning wheels, yarn winders, flax equipment and more from the Museum’s main storage.  Discover the difference between a high wheel and a pendulum wheel, find a yarn winder or spinner’s weasel, and examine an assortment of handcrafted items.  Featured were eighteen blankets produced by the Benmiller Woolen Mill.

2024

Stories from Storage: Sleep In – Dec. 9, 2023 to Sept. 1, 2024

Sleep In displays artifacts from the Museum’s collection in relation to beds, cradles, cribs & bedroom furnishings.  Condition assessment, collection relevance and further research on the artifacts within this exhibit will be conducted as part of ongoing collections review.

Beyond Ana – Sept. 21 to Nov. 24, 2024

Art exhibit by Blyth artist Kelly Stevenson. The exhibit is presented as both a tribute to a voice lost before its time and a catalyst to start conversations about the impacts of eating disorders.

2023

Stories from Storage: Have a Seat – April 29  to Nov. 5, 2023

A chair is defined by the dictionary as “a piece of furniture for one person to sit on, with a back, a seat and four legs” but there is so much more to this basic piece of furnishing. Do you notice the chair in spaces around you? Over 125 chairs can be found in the Museum’s main storage, current permanent exhibitions, and Historic Gaol collections. We continue to investigate each piece to determine its place in our collection. 

2022

The Ribbon Skirt Project: Creating & Gifting a Cultural Connection – March 12 to April 10, 2022

The Ribbon Skirt Project was started by Miss Kettle and Stony Point Jr., Jaylynn Wolfe, in July 2021. Knowing that owning a ribbon skirt was important, but difficult for many, Jaylynn, along with her mother, set out to make hundreds of ribbon skirt kits and invited volunteer seamstresses to help.  The skirts were displayed throughout the Museum in groupings that showcase the Seven Grandfather Teachings, the Clans of Kettle and Stony Point, Water is Life, Spirit Horses, The Creation Story, The Three Sisters, The Medicine Wheel, Floral imagery, as well as a display to bring awareness to the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

2021-2022

Ripple Effect – Aug. 1, 2021 to July 3, 2022

The waterways throughout Huron County have been an attraction for generations. Whether for sustenance, settlement, business or recreation, the beauty and vibrancy of our waterways have many stories to tell.  What was done before affects us today and what we do tomorrow will continue to effect the health and future of our waterways.  A continuous ripple effect.  Draw, play, create and explore as we dive into Huron’s lakes and waterways in this interactive exhibit for all ages.

Forgotten: People & Portraits of the County – Sept. 27, 2021 to Sept. 4, 2022

Explore unidentified images of the People and places of Huron County taken by local photographers.  Who are they, where were they, and what stories could they tell?

2020

Reflections: The Life & Work of J.W. (Jack) McLaren: Oct. 8, 2020 – April 30, 2021

From Mirth and Mud at Ypres Salient and Vimy Ridge to the vibrancy of landscapes from Huron County and the Maitland Valley, explore the works of artist Jack McLaren (1895-1988). This exhibit was presented in partnership with the Huron Historical Society and featuring works on loan from the community. Click to visit the virtual exhibit. To explore videos related to the exhibit, visit our YouTube Channel.

e and small, display the intricacies of his life’s work.

2019

Say It With Style: April 16 – Nov. 3, 2019

Hang onto your hat and shake the dust off your boots, this exhibit will knock your socks off!   Say it with Style is a quirky look at fashion idioms and expressions featuring clothing, textiles and accessories from the Museum’s own collection.

Iron Willed: Women in STEM: May 4 – Sept. 1, 2019

Do women and girls, as well as their parents, educators, and employers, see themselves equitably represented in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields?  Through text and images, the display tells the stories of historical and contemporary Women in STEM, their scientific contributions as well as their challenges in the face of persistent systemic barriers.

Iron Willed: Women in STEM was sponsored by BM Ross

2018

Farmtastic!: May 5, 2018 – March 30, 2019

Discover the stories of our agriculture practices, successes and challenges in Huron County, one of Ontario’s most agriculturally productive areas. Click to visit the virtual exhibit. 

2017

Huron County:  The Dry Years March 31 – Sept. 24, 2017

Explore the story of prohibition in Huron County during the time of the Scott Act (1878 to 1959).  One of the last counties in Canada to uphold the Act, a dry Huron saw many  different incarnations during that time.  Was the County ever really dry?

Huron Pottery: Unearthed – May 18 to Oct. 15, 2017

The Huron Pottery was one of Ontario’s oldest and longest operating earthenware workshops, producing pottery from 1853 to 1910.  Many researchers and collectors have interest in Huron Pottery because of its well-documented history and connection to various Ontario localities.

The Huron Pottery operated in Egmondville, Huron County.  Excavations of the site took place from 1974 to 1976.  Pottery and objects recovered from the site are part of the permanent collection of the Huron County Museum.

Hot Off the Press – Nov. 21, 2017 to March 31, 2018

Strange and notable articles from our rural newspapers from the 1840s to the present, and the stories behind the headlines.  The history of Huron County’s printing and journalism touches upon the personal, social, cultural and political history of the county’s residents.

 

2016

Stories of Immigration & Migration – April 5 to Oct. 15, 2016

Examine historic and contemporary stories of immigration in Huron County from 1839 to the present. Discover personal stories of immigration from Ireland, Germany, England, Netherlands, Austria, India and other regions of Canada as these men, women and children settle and make Huron County home.

Home in Huron  – April 30 to Sept. 12, 2016

Celebrate Huron County’s 175th Anniversary in 2016! Home in Huron features photos from the past and present submitted by local photographers and gleaned from our Archives. Share your photos on social media with the hashtag #HomeInHuron.

2015

Delicious – May 2 to Sept. 13, 2015

Are the favourite foods of our ancestors still our favourites today? Explore recipes, cookbooks and kitchen items from the Huron County Museum & Archives collection. Tasty or not, you decide!

Movie Connections – April 7 to May 23, 2015

Enjoy classic movies at the Huron County Museum and match the artifact to the movie. Stay tuned for the movie schedule but explore the exhibit any day to play our matching game.

Our Feathered Friends – June 14 to Sept. 6, 2015

Our Feathered Friends introduces visitors to the basics of birdwatching including how to identify birds and how to attract them into our backyards. A traveling exhibit from the Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, Ontario.

Celebrations – Nov. 2015 to March 19, 2016

Winter holiday traditions across the world celebrate light and hope by bringing music, joy, food and family to the darkest, coldest nights of the year. Discover the sights, sounds, tastes and traditions of twelve favourite holidays between November and March.—from Diwali to St. Patrick’s Day. #HCMCelebrations

2014

Our Stories: The People of Huron County – April 22 to Sept. 14, 2014

Discover the stories of some Huron County residents who have made achievements in Science, Technology and the Arts. Some famous and some relatively unknown but all a part of our Huron County History.

2013

Here Comes the Bride – April 15 to Aug. 18, 2013

During the busy summer wedding season take time to come and enjoy this collection of wedding gowns, dresses and suits; along with traditional wedding gifts and accessories. Special fashions from the 1860s to the 1970s.

The Vikings: Master Mariners, Traders, Colonists and Artisans – May 13 to Aug. 31, 2013

An overview of the traditional life and outstanding contributions of the Vikings or Norse people. Reveals the technological, historical and artistic impact made by these Scandinavian forebears.  Traveling exhibit from The Manitoba Museum.

Noteworthy: Musical Instruments from the Huron County Museum Collection – Oct. 6, 2013 to Sept. 14, 2014

From a time when making your own entertainment often meant making your own music, discover a variety of pianos, organs and smaller musical instruments from the Museum’s collection. Complex machines, decorative arts or social entertainment, all are noteworthy.

2012

Huron County Art Show Gala – April 21 to Nov. 4, 2012

Winning art from all the last art shows. A retrospective.

Come Play A While…Toys You Loved – Nov. 17, 2012 to March 17, 2013

Revisit childhood memories and enjoy toys from across Huron County donated by and on loan from boys and girls; old and young; neighbours, friends and family. A special community exhibit.

2011

Fakes and Forgeries: Yesterday and Today – April 23 to Aug. 14, 2011

Learn how to tell authentic pieces from sly forgeries and discover the fascinating lengths forgers will go to hoodwink the unwary! Spot the differences between fakes and real artifacts that run the gamut from Natural History and World Cultures, to modern designer brands in this fascinating, interactive exhibition. Visitors of all ages are invited to guess which Museum artifacts are real and which are clever fakes.   Also includes educational information about pirated computer software and sections on counterfeit currency.  Organized and circulated by the Royal Ontario Museum through its Traveling Exhibits Program.  The Royal Ontario Museum is an agency of the Government of Ontario.

Huron County Museum’s 60th Anniversary – Feb. 21 to December, 2011

The Huron County Pioneer Museum opened July 4, 1951 with the generous collection of Joseph Herbert Neill. Since then our Museum has continued to collect, preserve and exhibit the story and history of Huron County.  Join us in 2011 as we celebrate our 60th Anniversary with exhibits of artifacts collected through the years and events to celebrate our history.

Collecting in the 21st Century – Sept. 24, 2011 to March 18, 2012

Artifacts from collected in the last 10 years.

2010

Egypt: Gift of the Nile – May 1 to Aug. 22, 2010

Explore an ancient civilization that flourished for thousands of years. The Nile River Valley of 5,000 years ago was the birthplace of a remarkable civilization. Protected from foreign invasion by vast deserts and sustained by fertile soil along the river, the ancient Egyptians developed from a simple agricultural community into a sophisticated society. Under a system of divine kingship, this Egyptian civilization lasted thousands of years and contributed strongly to the later cultures of the Mediterranean and Europe.  Organized and circulated by the Royal Ontario Museum through its Traveling Exhibits Program.  The Royal Ontario Museum is an agency of the Government of Ontario.

Made in Bayfield: The Work of John Gemeinhardt – May 8 to Dec. 5, 2010

The furniture and craftsmanship of German cabinetmaker, Johann Gemeinhardt (1826-1912). Various tools, drawings and furniture pieces, both large and small, display the intricacies of his life’s work.