Osgoode Hall

Conservation / Preservation:

Archives / Library/ART AND ARTEFACT COLLECTION

The Great Library in Osgoode Hall contains the largest private collection of legal works and is one of the the best reference sources in Canada. The Archives is the repository for all records of permanent value to the Law Society of Upper Canada and collects materials that document the history of the legal profession in Ontario. The Law Society owns a significant collection of portraits of former Chief Justices and Presidents of the Law Society. It also collects artefacts related to the history of the legal profession in Canada.

Artefacts

Courtrooms from the 19^th century
Convocation Hall
Stained glass windows covering 4,000 years of law
The Great Library
Paintings of former Chief Justices of the Province and Presidents of the Law Society
Sculptures
Artefacts documenting the history of the legal profession in Ontario

Public Programming:

Exhibitions

McMurtry Art Exhibit
Heritage courtrooms
Convocation Hall
The Great Library
Lecture halls, classrooms, meeting rooms
Temporary exhibitions on heritage topics
Virtual museum
Virtual archives
Flickr Photostream
YouTube Channel

Tours: Yes

Osborne Collection of Early Children’s Books, Toronto Public Library

Conservation / Preservation:

Archives / Library

Archival library book collections such as the Osborne Collection of Books published to the end of 1910
The Lillian H. Smith Collection of modern notable titles
The Canadiana Collection of materials written, published, or substantially related to Canada.
Book collections, book-related art, literary archives, games and ephemera.
Most materials are English-language, with a few exceptions of classics of children’s literature published in original languages, and some modern notable French-language materials.
The Osborne Collection of Early Children’s Books spans literary classics to popular culture, including such novelties as movables and miniatures.
The oldest artifacts in the Collection are cuneiform tablets dating from 2,000 B.C.E.
Modern children’s books: a fourteenth-century manuscript of Aesop’s fables; fifteenth-century traditional tales, sixteenth-century school texts, and courtesy books.
Godly Puritan works
Eighteenth-century chapbooks, moral tales and rational recreations
Victorian classics of fantasy adventure and school stories up to 1910.
Florence Nightingale’s childhood library
Queen Mary’s children’s books
Materials pertaining to members of theTaylor family of Ongar
The Pettingell Collection of periodicals and penny dreadfuls
Extensive holdings of the works of G.A. Henty
The John Sullivan Hayes Collection: Predominantly nineteenth and twentieth-century English Children’s books and considerable Canadiana

Public Programming:

Tours

Teachers and instructors are welcome to contact the Osborne Collection to arrange group visits, subject to space and scheduling.

Educational programming

Classes starting at Grade 4 may enjoy exhibits and talks, while high school, college, and university-level students may be given subject presentations on Osborne material

Online Exhibitions

Online exhibits highlighting items from the Osborne Collection: Worlds Away: Wild Inventions at Osborne, When Cinderella Went to the Ball: Five Hundred Years of Fairy Tales, Picture Perfect! – An Exhibit of Canadian Picture Book Art, This Magical Book: Movable Books for Children, 1771-2001

Ontario Legislative Buildings

Conservation / Preservation:

Archives / Library

The Ontario Legislative library is mandated to provide research and information services to Members and staff of the Ontario Legislature, caucuses, and staff of the Legislative Assembly.

Artefacts

Statutes, government publications.

Public Programming:

Exhibitions

Legislative and Community Exhibits
Permanent exhibits highlighting the history and architecture of the Legislative Building, Ontario’s natural heritage, and the Legislative process
History and significance of the parliamentary tradition of the Mace.

Tours

School tours
ESL and French language tours for the general public
Scavenger Hunt at the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Art and architecture tours
Tour for scouting and guiding groups
Victorian Tea and Tour
View parliament sessions and exploring chamber

Ontario Heritage Trust

Public Programming:

The OHT runs the Provincial Plaques Program (the familiar blue and gold plaques), coordinates Doors Open province-wide, runs the Doris McCarthy Artist-in-Residence Centre and coordinates the Lieutenant Governors Ontario Heritage Awards and the Young Heritage Leaders Awards

The OHT operates museum and heritage sites across province, including Uncle Tom’s Cabin Historic Site, Enoch Turner Schoolhouse, Fulford Place Museum, Homewood Museum, the Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre Centre and George Brown House.

All Trust sites are interpreted through a combination of plaques, public programs, tours, exhibits and displays.ard of Directors.

Publications

Special publications including magazine Heritage Matters.

Other

Special events such as plaque unveilings, open houses, and workshops.

Ontario Genealogical Society

Ontario Archaeological Society

Public Programming:

This society publishes archaeological literature and site reports.

Old City Hall

Conservation/Preservation:

Artefacts

Clock tower, first floor exhibits, grand staircase, memorial window, and war memorial
George A. Reid Murals, city council chamber; Romanesque grotesques, collection of photographs and other artefacts; stained-glass windows

Public Programming:

Exhibitions

Exhibit cabinets are found on the main floor of the entrance lobby.

Tours

Yes

Old Britannia Schoolhouse

Conservation / Preservation:

Artefacts

A variety of items that might have been found in Victorian-era one-room schoolhouses, including:

wall maps, text books, lunch pails, water containers, school furniture and student supplies, teaching materials and equipment
household items, toys and games, as well as documents, letters, and cards.

Public Programming:

Tours

The schoolhouse is open for visitors on the second Sunday of each month. A volunteer will be there to answer any questions and give information about the schoolhouse and its programme.

Re-enactments / Theatre

To visit a Victorian era class in action, please contact the contact the Schoolmaster at britannia.schoolhouse@peelsb.com

Other

As well as these opportunities to visit the Schoolhouse, Friends hold special events throughout the year in the heritage building. These are listed in the on-line Events Schedule and highlighted in the CurrentNews section.

National Presbyterian Museum

Conservation/Preservation:

Artefacts

A variety of objects that depict the life and mission of the Presbyterian church such as

Communion ware and tokens
Clerical robes
Books, Scrolls and Diplomas
Mission artefacts
China plates and wall hangings
Photographs

Library

Access is provided to a small collection of religious books such as bibles and hymnals that date back to the seventeenth century.

Public Programming:

Online Programming

The Website showcases the museum’s exhibitions and artefacts.

Exhibitions

A nineteenth century church constructed of board and batten has been re-created using the furnishings from various churches. Beside the chapel there is also a re-creation of a Minister’s Study, which contains hundreds of pre-twentieth century books.

Ports Toronto

Conservation/Preservation:

Public Programming:

Exhibitions

Display cases are located on the ground floor of the Ports Toronto building, and consist of images of Toronto and Toronto’s waterfront. Occasionally archival material is on display in the lobby of the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport. The Ports Toronto Archives also participates in publicity events such as Doors Open Toronto, and also regularly supplies images for online use on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. Archival material has also been used for Public Affairs displays created for public viewing in places such as BCE Place, the CN Tower and the PATH system.