A Year in the Life of a Middleville Museum Volunteer

Spring brings the promise of great things to come.

Summer brings a time to celebrate accomplishments.

​Volunteering at the Middleville and District Museum provides opportunities to do pretty much every job possible. In the spring, the task of uncovering exhibits and planning for the creation of new ones gets people excited about a brand new season ahead. The old favourites like the 1830’s cabin, the 1922 Ford car and the 1861 schoolhouse quickly come alive. New ones like the Royal Platinum Jubilee exhibit are just a vision in the heads of volunteers. Materials are gathered and day by day, they start to take shape ready to delight visitors. Of course, planning an opening weekend program gets underway next. Advertisements are crafted and the website is updated to let people know when to mark their calendars. The summer months have a steady stream of volunteers signing up for shifts at the Museum to greet the public who arrive to visit. Volunteers work together in pairs or families to keep the Museum open every weekend from May to October. Board members also welcome weekday appointments arranged for those who can’t visit the museum on weekends. Researchers and writers spend many hours pouring through the extensive resources the Museum holds. This year, The Reading Room’s comfy chairs will welcome those who enjoy a good read. A selection of special events draws volunteers to the Museum all throughout the season. This year, July will have a Live Theatre event not to be missed. There are many jobs needing extra hands to organize, publicize and host this exciting event. The summer also brings outdoor yard maintenance. There’s planning and seeding, watering and weeding to do and green thumbs are always needed. When the leaves begin to suggest the fall season is coming, attention focusses on paint and repair jobs that need to be done before the cold weather arrives in the Highlands. A chill in the wind signals time to ready the Museum for winter snow. Outdoor exhibits are protected from the harsh weather and lawn furniture is tucked away in the shed. The 2022 season brings a new twist for the fall. A large heat pump has been installed on the south side of the Museum. It will provide much anticipated warmth and extend the use of the Museum in colder months. The Board of Directors will be able to continue to meet and plan on site at the Museum building throughout the year. This will improve their ability to respond to enquiries from the public that keep coming year round. So if you like to bake, research, write or create consider connecting with the Middleville and District Museum team. Maybe you like to dig in the dirt and design beautiful outdoor spaces. Why not give us a call? There are always light maintenance tasks to do and some jobs that take a crew to complete. Be sure to check out the volunteer page on our website for ideas about how you might add your talents and time to the care and preservation of The Middleville and District Museum. There are many ways to get involved. Use our social media links to contact us. Give us a call or drop by the Museum during the season to find out how you can get involved. Whether you are looking for a place to spend some time or just want to lend an occasional hand as we gear up to emerge from a challenging time, we need to engage more than ever. We look forward to hearing about your interest in the Museum and its ongoing engagement with its wider community. 

Autumn brings the sweet taste of the apple crop

Winter months bring planning time