Guelph Museums curator hangs up the white gloves

GUELPH, ON, January 6, 2017: Bev Dietrich retires today after 25 years of service as curator of Guelph Museums.

During her time at Guelph Museums, Dietrich developed the Museum’s 40,000-object collection and a collection management practice that is the envy of museums across the country.  Her collections expertise contributed to the smooth and successful move of the Civic Museum in 2012 from its Dublin Street location to its current site in the former Loretto Convent.  Dietrich has generously shared her collection management expertise with colleagues across the province as course director for the Ontario Museum Association’s Collection Management course, part of the Certificate in Museum Studies program.

She is also widely recognized as an international authority on Lt. Col. John McCrae, and was instrumental in the recent renovations at McCrae House National Historic Site, the induction of Dr. McCrae into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame, and the inclusion of his image on postage stamps and coins to mark the centenary of the writing of In Flanders Fields.

Dietrich has in impressive track record creating engaging exhibitions, including Sitting Pretty: The History of the Toilet, which travelled for 11 years to museums across Canada; and most recently Lucile: Fashion. Titanic. Scandal., an exhibition featuring Lady Duff Gordon-designed gowns on loan from museums and private collections from around the world.

After earning a BA in history from Wilfrid Laurier University, and volunteering at the Wellington County Museum and Archives, Dietrich entered the museum technology program at Ottawa’s Algonquin College. She worked as curatorial assistant at the Wellington County Museum and Archives from 1983 to 1991 before joining Guelph Museums as curator in June 1991. In 2011 she received the Ontario Museum Association Award of Excellence for Lifetime Achievement.

“I have been so fortunate to spend my last 25 years at the City of Guelph working at Guelph Museums with such great staff and volunteers,” says Dietrich.  “There is such incredible support in this community for all things heritage. It made my job that much easier to do.”

“The excellent reputation and success we enjoy at Guelph Museums today can largely be attributed to the professionalism, creativity, good humour, and leadership that Bev has brought to the organization,” says Guelph Museums manager Tammy Adkin.  “She has served our community so well over the years, and is leaving a legacy that will benefit Guelph and the museum sector for years to come.  It has truly been a joy to work with her, and we wish her a most wonderful retirement.”

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Tammy Adkin
Manager, Guelph Museums
City of Guelph
519-836-1221 extension 2775
[email protected]