A multi-year collaboration between Guelph Civic Museum and Guelph Film Festival has resulted in a new exhibit that explores three city neighbourhoods – Two Rivers, Onward Willow and Brant Avenue.
Known as Moving Histories, Neighbourhood Mysteries, the exhibit delves into the questions “what makes a place home?” and “how do communities change over time?”
The initiative began in 2018 with a series of bus tours to each neighbourhood featuring inter-generational storytellers and led by community story advocate Jenny Mitchell.
Those tours were filmed – the third held virtually due to the pandemic – and the footage used to produce three short documentaries.
“The films capture the storytellers, who shared their memories, lived perspectives, and personal anecdotes in the places they call home,” explains a post on the museum’s website. “Equal parts lived history and historic fact, Moving Histories, Neighbourhood Mysteries centres the stories and storytellers who shape and imagine community and home – past, present and future.”
The exhibit runs through to Sept. 4 at Guelph Civic Museums (52 Norfolk St.). The films will be played simultaneously every day, surrounded by artifacts and stories from each neighbourhood, as well as local film history.
Films can be watched on monitors with headsets for listening or patrons can scan QR codes to watch them at home.
For more information about Moving Histories, Neighbourhood Mysteries or other happenings at Guelph Civic Museum, along with admission costs, hours of operation and COVID-19 guidelines, visit guelphmuseums.ca.
