Go on a history scavenger hunt

A wok is a cooking tool that has been used all over the world for centuries. After arriving in Canada as Syrian refugees, the Alkhalaf family used theirs to fry traditional saj dough to make BeaverTails, a tasty Canadian pastry.

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Look at this wok that was made in China over 100 years ago.

Maple syrup is a big business in Canada. In fact, Quebec produces more than half of the world’s maple syrup. From maple sugar to maple-glazed salmon, maple syrup is a Canadian institution.

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Look at this wood maple sugar mould that was used to make maple sugar candies. Hot maple sugar was poured into it, and as it cooled it hardened to make a delicious treat.

The first lunch boxes were used by male workers in the early 1800s to protect their lunches when going to work. School children started using lunch boxes in the late 1800s by reusing old containers they found at home. And, by the 1930s, manufacturers had started making lunch boxes with pop culture icons like Mickey Mouse.

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Look at this lunch box featuring the Osmonds. The Osmonds were a popular band in the 1970s. Download one of their tracks and give them a listen.

Canada’s oldest company is well known for making blankets. King Charles II of England chartered the Hudson’s Bay Company in 1670. Its traders set up trading posts along the shore of Hudson Bay where they exchanged manufactured goods, including wool blankets, for furs provided by Indigenous people.

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Look at this authentic HBC blanket to see the company’s colours.

Taking photographs is easier than ever, just point and click. But back in the late 1800s, most people had to go to a studio to have their photo taken, then wait for days before they could see the black and white image.

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Look at this old photographic print. Black and white photographs like this one were processed using a negative that was taken from the film of a camera.

During the 1800s and 1900s, a very popular design on plates in Canadian dining rooms was Blue Willow. Blue Willow is an example of chinoiserie, which became popular in the 1700s as European trade with China increased. Chinoiserie reflected the way Europeans viewed Chinese and eastern cultures and was not an authentic representation of the culture itself. Chinoiserie featured symbols and motifs believed to be Chinese, like pagodas, colourful birds and exotic locales.

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Look at this example of a Blue Willow china plate. The Blue Willow design was inspired by a legend made up by the English to romanticize eastern cultures. According to the legend, two lovers are transformed into doves to escape a father opposed to the union. Can you spot the doves on the plate?

Imagine a world without electricity. That is what life was like for many Canadians before electricity became more widely available during the 1900s. How important would your candle be in that context?

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Look at this candle that was used in St. Onuphrius Church, a Ukrainian Catholic church that once stood on the Canadian prairies — it now stands in the Museum’s Canadian History Hall. Other than lighting, candles can serve an important and ceremonial function in some religious traditions.

Terry Fox is an example of how sports can spread awareness of an important cause, like cancer. In 1980, Terry Fox ran a Marathon of Hope that lasted over 143 days, spanning six provinces and covering over 5,300 km. Terry was diagnosed with cancer before the race and ran with an amputated leg. Many called the marathon the Ten Million Dollar Run, but it would eventually raise 25 million dollars. Every year, the Terry Fox Run continues to raise money for charity.

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Look at this Marathon of Hope T-shirt. Notice that the T-shirt features Terry running in front of an outline of Canada.

What do you think your toys tell us about you? Many artifacts in the Museum were once everyday objects like toys, but have become important because of what they tell us about history.

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Look at these toys in the Museum’s collection: pull horse, doll, sheep, teddy bear, top and jigsaw puzzle. What do you think they tell us about the people who played with them?

Can you believe that the bristles on a toothbrush were made from animal hair in the 1800s? In fact, they could be made from pig hair!

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Take a look at this toothbrush to see what pig hair bristles looked like. It is also significant because it’s associated with Canada’s first Prime Minister, Sir John A. Macdonald.

The Museum has toilet paper from the E. B. Eddy Company, which made paper products from 1891 to the 1990s. The company was located near the Museum in Gatineau, Quebec.

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Look at this E. B. Eddy toilet paper. Did you know that some people used dried corncobs before toilet paper was widely available? Ouch!