Facility putting together exhibits and programs for its 50th anniversary
The Scarborough Museum is turning 50 this year. Opened on 1962, the museum will hold a big celebration for its anniversary on June 27.
However, the museum will rely heavily on volunteers and donations to fund the celebration because it has to.
We want to show that history is a connected thread, a continuum.
—Elaine Savva
Curator Madeline Callaghan says the museum works within a very restricted budget from the City of Toronto.
“We really utilize the resources from volunteers to really maximize the program,” Callaghan says. “We’ve been able to keep any additional costs to a minimum because there’s really no budget for it.”
Despite very little city funding, co-ordinator Elaine Savva says the museum’s anniversary will be celebrated all year with various events starting June 27.
“The event is celebrating a lot of things. It’s Canadian Multiculturalism Day, so we’re [also] celebrating that,” Savva says. “One way they’re doing this is through an exhibit which the museum is putting together called Destination Scarborough.”
Savva says Destination Scarborough will showcase different suitcases throughout the museum.
“Each suitcase will showcase an individual who has immigrated to Canada and what they brought with them that was really important,” she says.
The museum is also going to have an exhibit of oral history interviews that discuss the challenges immigrants face when they move to Canada.
“We’re turning it into a very inclusive environment where we’re hoping to bridge the gap between the very first settlers and the immigrants today,” Savva says. “We want to show that history is a connected thread, a continuum.”
The Scarborough Museum’s 50th anniversary festivities are to kick off at 6:30 p.m. on June 27.