Tag Archives: war

Fort York National Historic Site

Conservation / Preservation:

Architecture

The walled Fort is home to eight original military structures dating to 1813-1815, including soldiers’ barracks, blockhouses, and munitions storehouses. In addition, the 17.5 hectare national historic site contains a significant portion of the original 1793 Garrison Common, including Victoria Memorial Square, Strachan Avenue Burying Ground, the mouth of the now-lost Garrison Creek, the still-active Fort York Armoury, and the Fort York Visitor Centre.

Artefacts

The site contains many artefacts documenting early Canadian and British military history, including uniforms, weapons, headgear, artillery, tools, musical instruments, bottles, cookware, and personal items, many of which are on display in the museum’s exhibits.

Public Programming:

Exhibitions

Approximately eight exhibitions that offer a window into early nineteenth-century life at the Fort, including,

  • Restored soldiers’ and officers’ barracks, and 1826 officers’ mess dinner kitchen.
  • Archeological exhibits documenting the excavation and preservation of site itself.
  • Audio/visual exhibits focusing on the War of 1812 and development of Fort York, and how it relates to the City of Toronto, over the centuries.

Tours

Guided tours by costumed staff are regularly conducted (inquire in advance of visit to find out availability).

Educational Programming

Progressive curricula for elementary school students focusing on various aspects of the lives of the Forts inhabitants, military history, and British North America in general.

Living History Animation

In the summer, interpreters in period military dress drill, fire musket and artillery, and play music.

Special events

Special programming, such as concerts, outdoor food festivals, as well as arts and cultural events take place throughout the year.

Great War Flying Museum

Conservation / Preservation:

Artefacts

Re-created World War One airfield flight hut, such as those in France or England. The flight hut operates as the museum and contains various artefacts relevant to World War One aviation such as,

  • discarded flight jackets, uniforms, flags
  • plane instruments and equipment
  • machine guns
  • model planes, diorama of a Zeppelin raid over England and also of a trench warfare featuring land-fighting vehicles
  • pilot mementos from wives and loved ones
  • prints, photographs, maps and posters
  • display of a typical Royal Flying Corp work hanger

Public Programming:

Online Programming

A database can be accessed on the museum’s main website containing digital pictures, historic photographs and descriptions of both World War One aircraft and ace pilots.

Margaret M. Allmang Society for the History of Nursing

Conservation / Preservation:

Archives

Archival materials consist primarily of the records of Margaret M. Allemang, located at the University of Toronto Archives, including

  • Research files from the 1950s through the 1980s, including data, reports, and proposals Allemang accumulated while teaching nursing at the University of Toronto along with her academic papers.
  • Allemang’s teaching materials, including her files on nursing practices throughout history.
  • Files related to Allemang’s oral history project on nursing during World Wars I and II.

Additional archival materials include nursing textbooks, procedures manuals, and writings regarding nursing practice, philosophy, and history.

Public Programming:

Public Lectures

Regular lectures on the history of nursing practice, health, and medicine.

Educational Programming

The society offers an annual prize for the best student essay on the history of nursing in any period in any country.

Royal Canadian Military Institute

Conservation / Preservation:

Artefacts

  • Primitive and modern weaponry.
  • Flags, badges, and medals.
  • British, American, and French soldier figurines.
  • Sketches, watercolours, prints, photographs, and oil paintings with emphases on Canadian and British Military History.

Library

  • Military manuals, service journals, periodicals, and rare books dating back to the eighteenth century.
  • Canadian Official War Photographs of World War One.
  • Canadian Expeditionary Force Casualty and Nominal Rolls.
  • Orders of Battle for World War One and World War Two.
  • British and Canadian Officer Lists for the Army, Navy and Air Force.
  • British and Canadian Regimental, squadron, and ship histories.

Public Programming:

Exhibitions

Exhibits focus on the evolution of Canadian military arms, equipment, and uniforms.

Public Lectures

Regular lectures on aspects of Canadian military history, international affairs, and military strategy are held, often as part of the Insitute’s Military History Nights and Defence Studies Committee Roundtables and Luncheons.

Publications

Regular publications, such as RCMI Commentary, Sitrep, The General Sir William Otter Papers, and Heritage Papers dealing with contemporary military and strategic issues, foreign affairs, and artefacts of significance to the Institute and its museum.

Tours

Tours of museum exhibits for school classes as well as the general public and participation in Toronto’s Door’s Open festival.

Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada Regimental Museum

Conservation / Preservation:

Archives

Materials related to the regiment’s activities in war and peace time including, architectural records, cartographic materials, prints and drawings, manuscripts, films/videos, and photographs.

Artefacts

  • Costumes
  • Metalwork, silverwork and gold work
  • Musical instruments
  • Medals
  • Weapons
  • Photographs

Public Programming:

Exhibitions

Several dioramas display regimental artefacts and history.

Online Programming

An online exhibit displays regimental history, focusing on their participation during major military conflicts and achievements of famous members.

Tours

Tours are offered to examine the materials in the regimental museum. Special European tours are organized that specifically focuses on the history of Canada’s participation in World War II

Holocaust Education Centre

Conservation/Preservation:

Archives

Composed of a permanent collection of archival photographs, art, artefacts and testimonies associated with the history of the Holocaust and Jewish religion.

Library

The Ekstein Library contains nearly nine thousand volumes of books and an array of films, pedagogical materials, and oral and written testimonies. Testimonies can be viewed as a DVD or read as transcripts, totalling sixty-five recordings.

Public Programming:

Exhibitions

Permanent displays include holocaust stories and photographs, such as Young Voices from the Holocaust and We Who Survived. There are also temporary exhibits which are related to the Holocaust.

Educational Programming

Educational programming is available for students by field trips or student symposium. Educational Bar & Bat Mitzvahs can also be organized that will link current B’nai Mitzvah students to child victims of the Holocaust for mentoring. In addition, there are also an educational programs for teachers on approaches to teaching the Holocaust.

Events

The Holocaust Education Centre is involved in numerous public events such as, Raoul Wallenberg Day, International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Yom Hashoah V’Hagvurah, Holocaust Education Week. They also co-present other programs related to the Holocaust.

Queen’s York Rangers Museum and Archives

Conservation / Preservation:

Archives / Library

The archives contain documents as lists of personnel dating back to 1777, written military orders (including those of the 12th Battalion, the York Rangers, the 12th York Rangers, the 20th Battalion, the 127th Battalion and the 220th Battalion), training manuals, diaries, maps and photographs, scrapbooks, and ephemera.

Artefacts

Uniforms, medals, badges, weapons, equipment

Public Programming:

Exhibitions

Displays of uniforms, medals, badges, weapons, and equipment tell the story of this regiment and those that preceded it.

Tours: Yes, by special request

Re-enactments / Theatre: Annual Regimental Events:

  • Last  Weekend of May – Ranger Weekend  to commemorate founder Major Robert Rogers.
  • First Weekend of August – Simcoe Day.