The Origin of Fan: Folding Form and Function considers the local and global histories, technological innovation, and cultural significance of fans. The exhibition draws from Guelph Museums’ collection of over 80 fans and related photographs, postcards, and other ephemera.
The creation of a pipe band was inspired by the Guelph Burns Club, which celebrated poet Robbie Burns in the local Scottish diaspora. To fund the band, a Tag Day campaign raised $72 and the Victoria-Guelph Chapter of the Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire collected $500. The Guelph Pipe Band was officially formed in the fall of 1922.
Using a community-curation and crowd-sourcing framework, Guelph Museums’ invited members, volunteers, and staff to select an item from the museum’s collection for display. The exhibition, Call & Response: Querying the Collection, highlights what they are most interested in and why.