Fleming College

Peterborough ON – May 18, 2021

Today is International Museum Day and to mark the occasion, we would like to share a special Fleming success story. The past year certainly has been like no other. Students and instructors have had to continually adapt to the changing times and that includes sharing stories of the past using technology of the present and future.

With the Peterborough Museum & Archives (PMA) closed to the public during the pandemic lockdowns, this year’s exhibit by Fleming students titled It’s Not All Black and White: A journey through our colourful collection has so far gone largely unnoticed. While people cannot go to the physical exhibit, a Fleming collaboration is bringing the exhibit to the audience. Check it out here.

Fleming’s graduate certificate Museum Management & Curatorship (MMC) program is an intensive, fast-paced immersive experience that provides applied training for careers in the museum, gallery and heritage fields. Museum managers and curators don’t simply preserve the relics, memorabilia and stories of the past, they animate and interpret them to bring history to life for people of all ages.

At the heart of the MMC program is its long-standing partnership with the PMA where about 75 per cent of the classes are held. Each year, students in the program develop a temporary exhibit for the museum’s 1000-sq. ft. gallery. This major applied project, which pulls together lessons and practical experience from all courses, is the culmination of two semesters of study prior to a final semester internship in the field.

Despite the extra challenges posed this year, the learning continued. In addition to online lessons, on-site classes were delivered in an adjacent portable at the PMA to continue the work-integrated learning experience. Students covered all aspects of the project from start to finish, including script, media, research, 3D design, graphic design, experiential components, installation and the final exhibition.

“We are indebted as always to the wonderful team at the Peterborough Museum and Archives who work with our students all year to see their projects to completion. Even in a year as difficult as this one, we have all managed to work together to see it through,” said MMC program coordinator Amy Barron.

Since the PMA has remained closed during the provincial lockdowns, a creative idea was needed to ensure the hard work of MMC students could be viewed and appreciated. That’s where a collaboration with Fleming’s Computer Security and Investigations program was crucial in bringing the exhibit to an online audience.

“This is an excellent example of the resilience, perseverance and commitment of our faculty, and a shining example of what our learners are capable of when led by such a phenomenal team,” said Angela Pind, Acting Dean, Haliburton School of Art + Design.

The physical exhibit at the Peterborough Museum & Archives is available until September 12. You can also walk through the It’s Not All Black and White: A journey through our colourful collection exhibit virtually.