The ROM invited me and some other bloggers to see the Canada Collects exhibit which is part of a bigger exhibition called A Season of Canada.. Canada Collects is an exhibition of items on loan from other museums and collectors in Canada. The lead curator, Kenneth Lister took us on a personal tour of the exhibition. I have to admit I love the idea of the curator leading us through the exhibit, he added so much more to the experience.
There are some pretty iconic Canadian artifacts in this exhibit
The original manuscript of Anne of Green Gables.
The landing gear from the Avro Arrow
Trudeau’s birchbark Canoe
The first Canadian maple leaf flag
The first TV, owned by Moses Znaimer
One part of the exhibit was extremely moving. It was poems written by Chinese Immigrants during the head tax days. They were written on the walls of the detention centres they were housed in at the time. The original building was being demolished and a museum in BC saved them. The poetry as you can imagine is quite depressing and I was almost brought to tears.
There are about 70 objects in the collection and many more exhibits that are part of A Season of Canada to see. While I was there, I saw The Black Star Sapphire of Queensland which is on display till December 2, 2007. It’s the largest gemstone I’ve ever seen and it’s so beautiful.
Oh and remember the dinosaurs are coming in December 2007. The grand opening of the Dinosaur Gallery should be really interesting.