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Over 20,000 Artifacts at Our Fingertips
Visit our Collections blog to find out more about the Museum collection, catalogue, and storage.
Discover Our Online Exhibit on the Sydenham River
Take an exciting journey through one of Ontario’s most charming and biologically diverse regions, explore the aquatic life and geography of the Sydenham, get to know the people who came to its forests and built its villages, and experience the life of an early European settler through this educational and interactive game.
Museum Hours
Mon-Fri 10:00am-8:30pm
Sat 10:00am-4:00pm
Closed Sundays & Statutory Holidays
Contact Information
Museum Strathroy-Caradoc
34 Frank Street
Strathroy, Ontario
N7G 2R4
Phone: 519.245.0492
Fax: 519.245.1073
Email: info@strathroymuseum.ca
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About Us
MUSEUM STAFF
Andrew Meyer, Museum Curator/Community Development Manager
Email: agmeyer@strathroymuseum.ca
Brianna Hammer, Museum & Communications Assistant
Email: bhammer@strathroymuseum.ca
Crystal Loyst, Collections Assistant
Email: cloyst@strathroymuseum.ca
HISTORY
The Museum opened to the public in 1972. Originally located in a heritage home at 84 Oxford Street, Strathroy that was known to the community as ‘Murray House’, the Museum was established to preserve and interpret the history of the Town of Strathroy and its neighbouring communities throughout Middlesex County. Through the devoted efforts of Museum staff and a dedicated Board of Management, the Museum played a vital role in preserving and promoting the heritage of Strathroy and area from this location, through a range of educational programs and exhibitions.
Since its establishment, the former Strathroy Middlesex Museum facility served its intended purpose in a functional and elegant structure that was retrofitted over time to provide excellent visitor amenities and ample gallery space. However, thirty-five years of intensive use resulted in the Museum’s outgrowing its facilities for collections, exhibitions and public programs. Add to this the difficulties associated with an isolated location in a residential area, and the increasing cost of maintaining and operating a historic building, and the need to relocate to better serve the community emerged as a priority for the Municipality and the recently restructured Museum Advisory Committee.
NEW DIRECTION
In January of 2004, the Township of Strathroy-Caradoc Council provided the Museum Advisory Committee with the direction to relocate and revitalize the Museum to better serve the needs and interests of the community. As a result, the Museum Advisory Committee worked diligently to determine a new location for the Museum in the downtown core of Strathroy, complimenting the Municipality’s commitment to revitalizing the historic commercial district and the Museum Advisory Committee’s desire to increase public access and visibility to the Museum and its collections.
The new location was achieved through a unique partnership with the County of Middlesex, integrating the Museum with the local public library and art gallery facility. This integration was realized through a combination of new construction for a dedicated Museum collections storage environment and work space (located in a new building behind the Strathroy Public Library), and renovations to accommodate a new Museum display gallery in the Strathroy Public Library and Art Gallery facility. This new direction addresses the objectives of the Museum, complimenting the renewed focus on community integration and partnerships.
As an integral part of this redevelopment, the Museum has rewritten its vision and mission statements to reflect this new path.
Vision
To encourage the residents of Strathroy-Caradoc to play an active and informed role in shaping their community by fostering an understanding and appreciation of Strathroy-Caradoc’s natural and cultural heritage.
Mission
To preserve and tell the story of Strathroy-Caradoc – the experience of people and places over time - and inspire residents of Strathroy-Caradoc to explore and understand the community around them.
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GOVERNANCE
Museum Strathroy-Caradoc is owned and operated by the Municipality of Strathroy-Caradoc, and managed through the Council appointed Museum Advisory Committee. The Museum Advisory Committee meets monthly to discuss the management and operation of the Museum, and is represented by Council members, community volunteers and municipal staff:
Steve Pelkman, Chair/Council Representative
Marilyn Grigg, Member
John Grogan, Member
Doris Heisler, Member
Gail Morton, Member
Jerry Rozek, Member
Frank VandenOuwelend, Member
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POLICY & PROCEDURE
The Museum is governed by Council approved Policies and procedures that guide the management and operation of the institution, and ensure that the Museum complies with the standards for community museums as defined by the Ministry of Culture. These policy documents are available for public viewing upon request:
Mission/Vision Statement
Collections Management Policy
Exhibition Policy
Conservation Policy
Interpretation & Education Policy
Research Policy
Community Policy
Human Resources Policy
Volunteer Policy
Physical Plant Policy
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