“Don’t touch that!”
How many of us have heard these words in a museum, and wished that we could reach out and make contact with a captivating and curious object?
This weekend, Flin Flonners will get a chance to do just that, as First World War artifacts from the Canadian War Museum’s Living History Collection (LHC) will be exhibited at the Flin Flon Station Museum.
The event promises to be a completely different kind of museum experience: one where people can try on a reproduction WWI helmet, shake a gas alarm rattle or hold a piece of 100-year-old trench artwork in their hands.
“The exhibit contains a mix of high quality reproductions and authentic artifacts,” explains Britt Braaten, creative development specialist at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa.
One compelling item is a small box respirator, a reproduction of a gas mask worn by Allied soldiers.
“Visitors can try it on to better understand what it would have been like to try to fight while wearing one of these masks,” Braaten explained. “The use of poisonous gases was such a horrific aspect of the First World War. I think [this artifact] helps to make this aspect of the war more real to people today.”
The collection also includes an authentic piece of trench art: a vase that was made out of the casing from an artillery shell.
“During the war, soldiers and civilians would take the remains of the war and turn them into pieces of art,” said Braaten. “I love this piece because it speaks to how something beautiful can be made out of something destructive.”
As the nation honours the 100th anniversary of Canada’s participation in the First World War, this exhibit presents a unique opportunity to connect to the experience of Canadians of that time.
As Braaten notes, “It’s exciting to get that chance to hold something, and imagine the people who used it, nearly 100 years ago.”
The First World War exhibit will be on display at the Flin Flon Station Museum from 1 to 4 pm on Saturday, Sept. 28. Learn more about local Culture Days events at www.culturedays.ca.
