Annandale National Historic Site to Start Allowing Visitors

Tuesday, 30 June 2020 16:26

The Annandale National Historic Site in Tillsonburg is opening a new exhibit in the Pratt Gallery and they will be allowing in person visits by appointment only.

TILLSONBURG - The Annandale National Historic Site in Tillsonburg is opening a new exhibit in the Pratt Gallery.

The exhibit, “Piecing Together the Past and Present”, is a collaborative quilt show developed in partnership with the Stationhouse Quilters and Fibre Artists.

The exhibition features 10 modern quilts with 10 historic quilts from the museum’s collection. It is open to the public now and will be available all summer. The gallery is open 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Monday to Friday.

Entry to the new exhibit is by appointment only due to concerns regarding COVID-19. Museum Curator Patricia Phelps says they hope to see you there.

“Only one group (up to seven people) will be allowed in the gallery at a time with full safety protocols in place, But we're open and looking forward to sharing this unique show with the public. Just call 519-842-2294 to book your appointment.”

Stationhouse Quilters and Fibre Artists is one of several in-house groups that call the Tillsonburg Station Arts Centre home (www.stationarts.ca).

Phelps says they had to find creative ways to serve the public during the pandemic.

“COVID-19 has presented a challenging set of circumstance for museums. But we're doing our best to adjust and offer programming where we can."

The museum’s first-ever virtual exhibit, “Hot Off the Presses: Celebrating 100 Years of the Tillsonburg News” opened in April and is still available at www.annandalenhs.ca.

Staff are also posting interactive content on the museum’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/AnnandaleNHS), including historic photographs and vintage recipes.

Phelps says that at this time, tours of the historic home adjoining the Pratt Gallery are not available.

“The historic house will remain closed for the foreseeable future as the disinfectants that are required to clean high-touch surfaces in the home are not recommended by the Canadian Conservation Institute for use on historic surfaces. But we'll continue to monitor the situation and work toward showcasing the aesthetic beauty of Annandale in other ways until a full reopening is possible.”

Mayor Stephen Molnar says he is impressed with how the museum has managed to cope during this difficult time.

“The people of Tillsonburg are known for rising to any challenge put in front of them. I commend our museum staff for all their hard work in ensuring Tillsonburg’s history isn't forgotten."