Museum of Dufferin reopens to public

Written By Paula Brown

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Museum of Dufferin (MOD) has reopened their doors to the public after more than a year and a half of closures as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Staff at the MOD officially welcomed visitors back into the museum on Sept. 21

“Unlocking the MOD doors was a thrill, there was the anticipation of finally being able to welcome our community back,” said Nanci Malek, marketing and events coordinator for the MOD. “We loved it, as we really missed being there for our community.” 

The local museum first closed their doors to the public back in March of 2020, during the peak of the pandemic. With the closure, the Museum of Dufferin shifted to an online platform, launching resources through the Learning Hub, and showcasing digital exhibits. Digital exhibits launched by the museum included “Stay In and Create”, “Beyond Your Eyes”, and “Solidarity In My Community”. 

Malek said that although the virtual offerings were amazing support for the museum, being back in-person does attract more visitation traction from community members and tourists. 

“It's all about being there for the community, people being able to come in and do research and having access,” said Malek. “Being online is good, but it also takes away that one-on-one experience, which we value. For people to be able to come in and see the artifacts in-person, and share in the events, that's what we work hard for.” 

According to Malik the MOD has seen an average of 20 to 30 visitors daily since reopening the museum. 

With the reopening of the MOD, a new main gallery exhibit called “Through the Looking Glass” has also been launched. The new exhibit explores topics that have been on the minds of the Dufferin Community and historic events to modern-day equivalents. The exhibit is designed to resemble a magnifying glass.  

The MOD will be hosting a number of upcoming events, with its reopening to the public, which will be announcements in the coming weeks. The MOD is already scheduled to host their annual Holiday Treasure event in December.