MSA Museum

The MSA collection consists of donated and purchased items with relevance to Abbotsford and surrounding areas. Our mandate is to be the memory of the community, which is why we strive to collect thing that have, or have had, some kind of significance to the local population. At this point, the collection comprises a wide assortment of objects, ranging from some very large slate panels from the Barrowtown pump station, a book printing press and a piano to miniscule lace tatting shuttles, arrow heads and a 1.5 cm tall porcelain doll. It contains industrial materials such as saws from the Abbotsford Lumber Company at Mill Lake, farming equipment such as an egg weighing scale, clothing from everyday life and special occasions, ranging from galoshes to wedding dresses. The collections storage area also houses a variety of furniture and toys, artwork, kitchen gadgets, china and knick knacks from around the house.

You may be aware that the MSA collection storage has moved from our previous location in the Clearbrook library annex to a new location on McCallum Road. We intend to display many of the objects in our Heritage Gallery and, of course, in Trethewey House, in rotating displays, but while the objects are not being exhibited, they will be stored at this new location.

The collection comprises a great variety of materials, ranging from leather, wicker, metals, glass, ceramics, china, wood, textiles and lithics. Various materials have different requirements when it comes to conservation, storage conditions and general care. As a result, we at the museum devote a great deal of time towards providing optimal conditions for each object within the collection. At the moment, we are in the process of conducting condition reports and re-packing our archival materials after the move. We are also in the process of updating our catalogue with a new museums cataloguing software program. We are looking forwards to all the planned displays that are coming up and that give us an opportunity to show you, the public, some of the exiting things that we care for on behalf of the community.