Museum Month

Canadian Museum of Civilization

May is Museum Month in Canada's province of Ontario, in recognition of International Museum Day, which is celebrated worldwide on Wednesday May 18, 2011. International Museum Day was established in 1977 by the International Council of Museums. More than 30,000 museums in 100 countries worldwide will hold special activities to mark the day.

The theme for this year's International Museum Day is  "Museum and Memory: Objects Tell Your Story" and Ontario museums are sharing the stories and ideas inspired by the collections of all Ontarians to spark our collective memory and our sense of place.

Art of Bollywood, Art Gallery of Mississauga

 Ontario's 600+ museums,  historic sites and art galleries cover a fascinating range of subjects; agriculture, medicine, shoes, cheese, broadcasting, mining, sports and science to name a few.  So whether it's discovering The Art of Bollywood (Art Gallery of Mississauga, opening May 12), taking a walk with Asimo, the most advanced humanoid robot ever created (JAPAN: Tradition. Innovation. Canadian Museum of Civilization, beginning May 20), celebrating the history of the lowly toilet (Sitting Pretty: The History of the Toilet, opens May 21, St. Catharines Museum), getting heard at the First Annual Loud Day (Museum of Health Care, Kingston) or unraveling the mystery of the Masons (Freemasonry - A History Hidden in Plain Sight, Bruce County Museum and Cultural Centre, throughout May), there's something to interest residents and visitors to Ontario.

Asimo will be at "JAPAN: Tradition. Innovation".  
Canadian Museum of Civilization,

Here's  selected list of May museum activities. Please visit the Ontario Museum Association's (OMA) website at museumsontario.com for events listings or call 1-800-ONTARIO for more information.

Beginning May 1, every Sunday and Wednesday

ROM Walks – May 18: Heart of Toronto

Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto

May 3 – September 4

Dramatically Dressed

Castle Kilbride NHS, Baden

May 6 - June 25

Canada on Canvas and New Mini Exhibits

West Parry Sound and District Museum - Yah, my hometown!

Opens May 12

The Art of Bollywood

Art Gallery of Mississauga

May 13 – August 29

Work Sights: The Photography of George Hunter

Workers Arts & Heritage Centre, Hamilton

May 14, 15

Tours free of charge

Currency Museum, Ottawa

Opening May 18

Magic Squares: The Patterned Imagination of Muslim Africa in Contemporary Culture

Textile Museum, Toronto

May 18

International Museum Day, 1/2 price admission

Guelph Civic Museum & McCrae House, Guelph

Free Admission on May 28 Forests: Our Living Treasure and From Dinosaurs to Mammals Timber Lake Museum, Blind River

May 18

International Museums Day – free admission

Halton Region Museum

May 18, 19

What Museums Do

Canada Science & Technology Museum, Ottawa

May 18

First Annual Loud Day

Museum of Health Care, Kingston

May 21 – 23

Alice in Wonderland: The Family Experience!

Black Creek Pioneer Village, Toronto

Opening May 21

Grossology

Bruce County Museum and Cultural Centre

Opening May 20

JAPAN: Tradition. Innovation with ASIMO robot

Canadian Museum of Civilization, Gatineau

Opening May 21

Sitting Pretty: The History of the Toilet

St. Catharines Museum

May 21 – June 19

Expressions 2011: School Art Exhibition

Glenhyrst Art Gallery, Brantford

May 21 – 23

Tulipomania

Currency Museum, Ottawa

May 21 – 23

Sheep-shearing festival

Agriculture Museum, Ottawa

May 27, 28

Relive the Talbot Settlement

Backus-Page House, Wallacetown

May 28, 29

Wings & Wheels Heritage Festival

Canadian Air & Space Museum, Toronto

May 29

Arabella's Pie Social, History Fair & Antique Road Show

Port Colborne Historical & Marine Museum

Throughout May

Freemasonry - A History Hidden in Plain Sight

Bruce County Museum, Southampton

Visit the OMA Website at www.museumsontario.com for more Museum events in May.

top photo: Narselim via panaramio