Well, now. Here are five things I learned during a very enjoyable visit to Black Creek Pioneer Village (“Step into 1860s Ontario”) on a cool and sunny afternoon in late August. 1. BCPV has a nice little collection of fire insurance marks (there may be more than shown), which happily reminded me of ones I’d …
Despite perfectly adequate signage, finding the Scadding Cabin on the grounds of the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) was a little extra challenging this year because of, er, Godzilla. Nevertheless, once found, it was great to see Toronto’s Oldest House, built in 1794, looking so well and attracting so much interest. This Heritage Toronto plaque outside …
The 12-year-old white rhinoceros Tom at the Toronto Zoo got me thinking Albrecht Dürer’s image, created sight unseen, from 1515. This video explains. What a privilege to see such a wonderful creature in person in Toronto. Toronto Zoo is museum no. 31 in my #100museums challenge (see 100 Museums Challenge).
What’s not to love about Far Enough Farm, next to Centreville Amusement Park on Toronto Island. You can hop on the ferry (or more sorta wait and shuffle, in the busy summer season) and meet 40+ farmyard animals and birds. For free (excluding the ferry ride)! I’ve loved visiting the farm since I was a …
I can thank a hail storm for my private tour of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario on Saturday afternoon. More due to luck than calculation, I reached Queen’s Park just minutes after the sun had come out, and in time to be the only one to join the regularly scheduled free 30-minute drop-in tour. One …
Short story: Edwards Gardens and the adjacent Toronto Botanical Gardens are free and beautiful. You can wander, picnic, learn about bee hotels and kitchen gardens, photograph the flora, watch wedding parties come and go, and remind yourself that Toronto has an extensive ravine system, filled with burgeoning nature. The site’s recent Master Plan and Management …
I have to admit that my expectations for Salem Witch Museum were not high. However, the museum did a great job of presenting the story of the 1692 witch trials in Salem, using life-sized dioramas (stage sets) with a recorded sound and light presentation, followed up with sound education on evolving perceptions of witches. As …
It was lovely to watch the sunset from Boston’s Skywalk Observatory, on the 50th floor of the Prudential Center. Not just a viewing platform, Skywalk also features a full set of interactive multimedia exhibits exploring the history of immigration to Boston. Absolutely worth visiting. It’s great that you can dip into and out of the …
The House of the Seven Gables in Salem, Massachusetts, also known at the Turner-Ingersoll Mansion, was built in 1668 in a Jacobean or Post Medieval style. Having just celebrated its 350th anniversary last year, the house and grounds are amazingly well-documented and quite interesting to visit. This video provides a look inside. Funny thing was …
A quick visit to Boston’s USS Constitution Museum! On a previous trip, I’d toured the USS Constitution itself, a frigate launched in 1797, which is located in Charlestown Navy Yard. Now part of Boston National Historic Park, the USS Constitution Museum and the surrounding yard are fascinating places to learn about shipbuilding and naval history. …
