Featured Exhibit

The Mystery and the Marvel: White Otter Castle

This exhibit was on loan to the Museum from The Friends of White Otter Castle. The exhibit shared the history of White Otter Castle and the man behind this unique structure. 

There’s No Place Like Home

This exhibit explored the evolution of architectural house styles in Dryden, from the log house to the ranch home, using photographs from the Dryden & District Museum Photograph Collection. These photographs also showed how societal changes influenced Canadian architecture over the last century. 

Working Together and Returning History: Archaeological Digs in Treaty #3

This exhibit explored the history of the Kay-Nah-Chi-Wah-Nung traditional burial grounds and how artifacts that were removed in the 1950s to 1970s have been repatriated back to Rainy River First Nations. This process is compared to the collaboration which has been happening between Eagle Lake First Nations and an archaeologist, who are working together and have been doing archaeological digs in 2018 and 2019. 

Enslaved Africans in Upper Canada

To commemorate the 25th anniversary of Black History Month in Canada, the Dryden & District Museum had a travelling exhibit from the Archives of Ontario, Enslaved Africans in Upper Canada, which discusses a part of Canadian history not often discussed. This exhibit talks about the lives of enslaved Africans and the actions that were taken to resist their servitude.

Service and Sacrifice

"Service and Sacrifice: Dryden’s contribution during wartime in the 20th century” is an overview of the military history of Dryden and the surrounding area. This exhibit was an overview of the military history of Dryden and the surrounding area.

The Dryden & District Museum created an exhibit that featured the local contributions, both overseas and at home, during the First and Second War World, and the Korean War, while considering the larger context of the wars in Canadian history and Canada’s identity. We also discussed the significance of remembrance.

Inside Out: Objects en Masse

“Inside Out: Objects en Masse”, gave us the opportunity to display artifacts and archival material such as clocks, telephones, maps, photographs, and more from our permanent collection.

We used the gallery space to create mini exhibits:

What’s in your smartphone?

Time and Space

Inside the Mill

Prints and Patterns

Making a Home: Early Women of Dryden

“Making a Home: Early Women of Dryden” shares stories about settler women who helped build Dryden and district’s sense of community. This exhibit looks at the first 50 years of Dryden’s settlement and highlights some of the women who were homesteaders, business women, teachers, and more. 

Seen with my eyes, captured through my lens

The Dryden & District Museum was excited to exhibit the work of local photographer, Eliana Wittwer. The exhibit “Seen with my eyes, captured through my lens” displayed photographs taken during Eliana's travels, local flora and fauna, and portraits.

Fibre Content 2018

The Dryden & District Museum hosedt the Fibrations’ Winter 2018 travelling exhibit, titled “Fibre Content 2018”. 

This traveling exhibit included textiles, quilts and clothing items that have been made by fibre artists, along with textiles from the Museum’s permanent collection. 

Medical History

The Dryden & District Museum hosted the travelling exhibits: The Promotion of Healthy Living and Medical Records in Ontario from the Archives of Ontario. The Museum also featured local medical history, such as early doctors in Dryden and the history of the hospitals. 

Sunday in the Park

This exhibit was designed by museum staff and features photographs from Dryden community picnics will be on display, as well as artifacts from the collection relating to outdoor summer gatherings. The Museum has also worked with local naturalists to provide information and photographs of birds found in the area.

Open Roads Fine Arts Program: This is Us

This is Us featured artwork by students in the Open Roads Fine Arts Program. Students in grade 6, 7, and 8 created artwork that features local landscapes, reflect the Grandfather teachings of Ojibway culture, self-portraits, and other art that reflect the students' lives, experiences and interests. 

We Were Taught Differently: The Indian Residential School Exhibit

The travelling exhibit, “We Were Taught Differently: The Indian Residential School Experience” from the Lake of the Woods Museum, was on display from September 30th to November 17th.

This exhibit examined the Indian residential school experience and included the six schools in Treaty #3. It featured powerful photographs, archival material, and personal recollections from residential school survivors. 

Pioneer Days: When We Were Young

To celebrate Canada 150, we wanted to celebrate their early history and role in the making of Canada. This exhibit featured artifacts that have not been on display before such as a seed cleaner, school desks, and a replica water pump. The story of the First Nations Peoples was shared, as well as the story of the first pioneer. On display from July 1st to September 21st. 

Hometown Proud: Hockey History of Dryden

The DREAM Committee asked the museum to help celebrate Hometown Proud Month in July with an exhibit about the Hockey History in Dryden. The Dryden Minor Hockey Association provided a list of everyone who played for them and where their hockey career led them over time. Biographies of local hockey heroes were featured. On display from July 1st to September 21st.