|  In
July, 1990, Jack and Linda Hutton honeymooned in P.E.I. Days after returning to
Bala, they saw a letter from Dr. Mary Rubio, Montgomery’s official biographer,
which told them that L.M. Montgomery had based one of her best books, The Blue
Castle, upon a little-known Bala holiday in 1922. Jack and Linda bought the former
tourist home where Montgomery had her meals and have restored it lovingly back
to what Lucy Maud Montgomery saw in 1922.
A visit to Bala’s Museum offers you:
•
Insights into how much Muskoka meant to Lucy Maud Montgomery at a stressful point
in her life. (She wrote: Bala is a dear spot. Somehow I love it. It has the flavour
of home.) •
A chance to relax in the atmosphere of a Bala home in the 1920s when families
spent entire summers in Muskoka. •
A chance to see one of the world’s public collections of LMM’s books,
including first editions and rare printings from other countries. Foreign editions
include Hebrew, Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Norwegian and Icelandic. |
BALA'S
MUSEUM
with Memories of Lucy Maud Montgomery 
Spring
Hours
By chance or appointment Fall
Hours
Sept. 6 - Oct. 19
Saturday - Sunday 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Call
to arrange special tours on fall or spring week days. Bus
tours welcome! Chinese
visitors welcome! Click here It’s
one of the best in all Canada!
Bala’s
Museum celebrates the life and writings of Canada’s favourite author, Lucy
Maud Montgomery. Since its opening in July, 1992, it has become known as one of
the best LMM museums in all Canada, attracting LMM fans and scholars from all
around the world (32 countries so far ). But
Bala’s Museum is more than that. It is a wonderful family outing where children
can take tours in our costumes (see above). Family fun is what we’re all
about. Bus tours
also love the museum. Linda does a talk on the life and times of L.M. Montgomery.
Jack does a ragtime sing-along. (Click here for bus
tour info). Admission
$3.50 a person / $10
a family (limit of four).
Bala’s
Museum L.M. Montgomery Exhibits - The
silver tea set given to LMM as a wedding present in 1911 is on display. We are
grateful to her grandson, David Macdonald, for loaning it to us.
- A
set of 1939 Sunday School papers with LMM’s condensation of "Anne of
Ingleside".
- The
basket in which Maud kept her personal correspondence.
- One
of the best collections of her books, including rare and first editions. Foreign
editions include Chinese (click here), Dutch, Polish, Japanese, Icelandic, French
and many others .
- Handwritten
excerpts and photos from LMM’s Bala diary.
- The
boat that sank under actress Megan Follows in the TV movie "Anne of Green
Gables".
- Avonlea
schoolhouse in miniature.
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Our Gift Shop The
Toronto Sun has said we have one of the best Anne of Green Gables gift shops in
Canada and we just get better and better. Offered are hard-to-find editions of
LMM books, Anne movies, Anne dollars, old-fashioned toys and exclusive dolls,
vintage Green Gables china. It’s worth the drive to Bala for the special
people on your Christmas list.
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Kids Can Dress Up Boys
and girls have a choice of our costumes to wear during their family tour. For
girls, dresses and flowered hats right out of "Avonlea"; sailor shirts
and hats for boys (That’s Linda with a typical tour at left).
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Cran-Anne Look-A-Like
Contest - Oct. 18, 2008 Always
one of the most popular events at the Bala Cranberry Festival. Click
here for the Cran-Anne page to learn more about the 2008 judging on Saturday,
Oct. 18th. (Megan Thompson, the 2007 winner, is at the left).
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Welcome back to Bala,
Lucy Maud Montgomery!
Celebrating 100 Years of Anne
July 24, 2008 1:30
pm Our annual
re-enactment of L.M. Montgomery coming to Bala in 1922 is going to be very special
this year because of the 100th anniversary of "Anne of Green Gables".
The afternoon will have everything Anne- egg-on-a-spoon races, 3-legged races,
prizes for best costumes of characters from the book (Anne, Diana, Matthew, Marilla,
Gilbert and Josie Pye), cake, ice cream and free freckles!! Bring the whole family
for an afternoon of fun at 1:30 .Normal admission of $3.50 a person or $10.00
for a family of four. |  |
The Redcoats are Coming!
Sunday, July 13, 2008 12:00-4:00 pm An
encampment that the entire family will enjoy. A demonstration of a Canada Militia
Camp circa 1860s with Muskets and Black Powder, plus a rope-making display. The
re-enactment group, including our son John, wears the redcoat uniforms and white
pith helmets worn by a local militia during the Riel Rebellions. 12 noon to 4pm.
Free with admission to museum. |  Anne:
Madly Off In All Directions
Our
newest display will show how a book about a red-haired orphan caught the world
by surprise in 1908, and the amazing spin-offs that have resulted from that first
"Anne of Green Gables"book. Visitors will find several surprises in
the display, including a few "Anne" souvenir items that would have L.M.
Montgomery spinning in her grave. Location
& Directions We
are about 200 kilometres or a two-hour drive north of Toronto. Click
here for directions and maps.
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| LIcensed
by Heirs of L.M. Montgomery | Member
Ontario Museums Association |
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