Inside the Museum
At the Twillingate Museum, you are treated to a sampling of our community’s history and traditions. The Museum, housed in the former Anglican Rectory, was built in 1915. Nearby stands St. Peter’s Anglican Church, one of the oldest wooden churches in Newfoundland.
Inside the Museum, rooms feature a variety of exhibits to delight young and old, the history buff as well as the casual, but interested, visitor.
Step into the cosy kitchen and you will be carried back to grandma’s days. The old Waterloo stove, ice box, washing machine, rocking chair, and flowering geraniums surround the antique table and chairs.
The dining room furniture brings to mind the elegant and festive dinners of long ago. Delicate china, pewter, and cranberry glassware adorn exquisite handworked cloths.
Strolling into the parlour, where guests to the home were entertained, you will be surrounded by antique furnishings, needlework, and a fine collection of photographs. The reed organ will remind you of the beautiful music heard whilst sitting around the fireplace.
Upstairs, a bedroom has been re-created complete with feather bed, hooked mats, quilts, and jug with basin.
Children visiting the museum will be interested to find a display of lovely old dolls and toys of yesteryear. Dolls carriages, strollers, and children’s clothing from the early 19th century help complete the exhibit.
The Medical Room will offer insight into the healthcare system of the early Twillingate Hospital. The pioneering work of Dr. John Olds is highlighted in an exhibit of surgical tools invented and used by him during his medical practice in Twillingate and the surrounding area. There is a growing photo gallery of other hospital personnel of the time.
Former and present members of the Girl Guide movement will find items of interest in the Guiding Exhibit. Beothuk artifacts, marine memorabilia, historical photographs, hunting tools, musical instruments, arts and crafts are just a few of the additional items found in the extensive collection at the Twillingate Museum.