Mini-Conference on Museums in PEI Planned for October 28
Everyone is invited to attend a mini-conference on “Museums Meeting the Challenge of the 21st Century” which will be held at the Rotary Room at the Charlottetown Library and Learning Centre, 97 Queen Street, Charlottetown, on Tuesday, Oct. 28 from 1pm to 8:15 pm.
Hosted by Nature PEI and the Community Museums Association of Prince Edward Island, the purpose is to raise public awareness about the positive role of museums in general, discuss the opportunities and challenges faced by museums in PEI, provide a current overview on various topics related to the state of museums in PEI today and to discuss the reimagining of a PEI Museum.
The program has been designed to appeal to audiences from a variety of backgrounds, including those interested in heritage, tourism, environment, and education. Rosemary Curley, President of Nature PEI and chair of the conference says that “Anyone with an interest in the natural and cultural heritage of the island will find something of interest in the program!”
The afternoon session will begin at 1 pm with opening remarks followed by the key note speaker, Dr. Sean Haughian, Botany Curator at the Museum of Natural History in NS. Dr. Haughian is a plant ecologist whose current research focuses on conserving at-risk plants and lichens in forest ecosystems and the impact of climate change on plant distribution. He will be speaking on “The Importance of Biodiversity Collections as a Public Good and Scientific Resource”.
Other speakers during the afternoon will include Dr. John Calder, an award-winning scientist and author who has studied and written about the geology of PEI. He will be speaking on the amazing discoveries of fossil life in PEI and the need to conserve them. Dr. Helen Kristmanson, currently an archaeologist with L’nuey, will speak about the archaeological record in PEI. Julie Pellissier-Lush will present on new approaches to sharing the Mi’kmaq story. Matthew McRae, Executive Director for the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation, will also give a presentation on “Reimagining the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation”.
Johanne Vigneault, Executive Director of the Community Museums Association of PEI, is pleased with the variety of practical information in the program for members of the association to learn from. “There will be a wealth of topics relevant to museum staff such as the importance of museums for the education system, the challenges of developing a new heritage site, and ways to increase visitation and audiences at heritage sites. We hope that many of our members will be able to attend.”
Dr. Ed MacDonald, Professor emeritus from UPEI, will be the key-note speaker for the evening session which begins at 6:30 pm. A well-known Island historian who has written several books on different aspects of the history of Prince Edward Island, Dr. MacDonald will speak about the history of how museums in PEI have formed and how they might be (Re) Imagined in the future. Following his presentation, there will be an opportunity for the audience to share their thoughts on overcoming challenges to the museum system in this century.
Refreshments will be served during both the afternoon and evening sessions. While admission is free, registration is required (email chris@naturepei.ca). For a detailed schedule and more information, please check www.naturepei.ca or https://museumspei.ca/news/
