Reynolds-Alberta Museum
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The Reynolds-Alberta Museum, in Wetaskiwin, Alberta, Canada, one of 18 provincially owned and operated historic sites and museums, honours the "spirit of the machine". It traces the mechanization of Alberta's transportation, aviation, agricultural, and industrial past from the 1890s to the 1970s, as cars and trucks replaced horse drawn buggies and wagons, huge factories replaced the village blacksmith shop, and animal and human-powered farm implements were replaced by mechanized equipment. The stories told by each exhibit reveal how the daily lives of Albertans were affected during this period of rapid change.
The museum has one of the world's best historical collections of transportation and industrial machinery, including
- more than 350 vehicles including automobiles, motorcycles, and bicycles
- more than 70 aircraft
- more than 1,000 pieces of agricultural equipment including tractors and farm machinery
- many industrial machines
- a reference collection of more than 3,000 publications and 25,000 pieces of trade literature.
The holdings continue to grow through the generous contributions of hundreds of donors. Tax receipts are available for donations.
The main gallery takes the visitor along a “highway through time”, beginning with a horse-drawn carriage of the late 1800s and featuring four stations, whose themes are a 1911 factory, a 1920s grain elevator, a 1930s service station, and a 1950s drive-in. The centre of the gallery has artifacts and displays that showcase the agricultural theme through the four seasons of the year.
Visitors can tour the main gallery on their own or as part of a guided tour, take rides in vintage cars and aircraft, visit an internationally acclaimed state of the art restoration and conservation facility, participate in hands-on programs, watch vintage agricultural machinery being used on 28 hectares of actual crops, or browse the award-winning reference collection or the gift shop. The Museum also features event rooms for group meetings, and is one of only two museums in Canada with fly-in access.
Featured exhibits include:
- a one-of-a-kind 1929 Duesenberg Phaeton Royale Model J
- the world's oldest known production Chevrolet, a 1913 Chevrolet Classic Six
- the world’s oldest dragline, a Bucyrus Class-24 built in 1917
- a 1928 American Eagle biplane, the only surviving Canadian example
- a full-scale replica of the Avro Arrow
- a half-track vehicle used in the infamous Bedeux expedition, the subject of the film “Champagne Safari”
The Museum also serves as home to Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame, a national organization paying tribute to the men and women who pioneered and advanced aviation in Canada.
[edit] Location
The Reynolds-Alberta Museum is located between Edmonton and Red Deer in Alberta, Canada, 65 kilometres south of Edmonton. It is located off Highway 2 or 2A, one kilometre west of the city of Wetaskiwin on Highway 13, or east from Highway 2, near the Wetaskiwin airport.
[edit] History
The Reynolds-Alberta Museum opened in 1992 as a project of Alberta Community Development and Alberta Infrastructure. It is named after Stan Reynolds, a Wetaskiwin businessman and world-renowned collector, who donated a core collection of 1,500 artifacts between 1982 and 1986, and, along with many other individuals, continues to donate portions of his collection. Stan had owned a local car dealership and always advertised that he would take anything in trade - ergo the large and varied collection of vehicles, airplanes and farm impliments.
[edit] The transportation collection
Highlights of the transportation collection include:
- 1905 Oldsmobile Curved Dash Runabout (restored)
- 1911 Hupp-Yeats Electric Coach (conserved)
- 1912 Harley-Davidson Silent Grey Fellow (conserved)
- 1916 Packard Twin Six Touring Car (original)
- 1918 Winton Four Passenger Sport Phaeton (original)
- 1923 Stanley Steamer Sedan (restored)
- 1927 LaSalle Convertible Coupe (restored)
- 1929 Model J Duesenberg, Phaeton Royale (restored, one-of-a-kind)
- 1930 Stewart 3/4 Ton Truck (restored)
- 1936 Auburn Sedan (restored)
- 1940 Chevrolet 1/2 Ton Pick-Up truck (restored)
- 1946 Mercury Two Door Sedan (restored)
- 1953 Canadian Pontiac Sedan (original)
[edit] The aviation collection
Highlights of the aviation collection are:
The complete aviation collection includes:
[edit] Airplanes
- 1928 American Eagle biplane
- 1929 DeHavilland Cirrus Moth
- 1929 Curtiss Robertson Robin monoplane
- 1928 Advance aircraft Co. Waco biplane
- 1941 Fairchild (Bristol) Bolingbroke Mark IV T
- n/a reproduction "Silver Dart" biplane
- 1941 Taylorcraft BC-12 monoplane
- 1941 Piper J-3 Cub monoplane
- 1941 Lockheed Lodestar 2 engine monoplane
- 1941 Cessna Crane 2 engine monoplane
- 1925 Lincoln Sport biplane
- 1940 DeHavilland Canada Tiger Moth
- 1925 Reynolds "Star" monoplane
- 1919 Reynolds "Sport" monoplane
- 1939 Stinson Aircraft Div HW75 monoplane
- 1939 Howard K. Slobak, Corben Baby Ace monoplan
- 1939 Fleet A/C Finch 1 biplane
- 1942 Hawker Hurricane Mark XII, RCAF 5418
- 1918 Curtiss JN-4 Can (Canuck) military reg.:C1347
- n/a Gyroplane prototype C-GUAG
- 1943 DC-3 Douglas "Dakota" 2 engine monoplane
- 1937 Arrow A/C Arrowsport monoplane
- 1930 DeHyavilland Gipsy Moth biplane
- 1930 Cessna EC1 monoplane
- 1931 Aeronautical Corp. Aeronca C3 monoplane
- 1932 J.S. Neys biplane
- 1932 Amisk Glider Club, Meade glider
- 1947 Stinson Voyager "Flying Station Wagon" monoplane
- 1929 Travel Air Speedwing biplane
- 1929 Fairchild Model 71 monoplane
- 1933 H.A. Stokke (Pietenpol) Air Camper monoplane
- 1936 Fairchild 24C-8E monoplane
- 1940 Taylor-Young A/C BL-65 monoplane
- 1936 Taylor J-2 Cub
- 1929 Kari-Keen Sioux Coupe monoplane
- 1937 Barkley Grow A/C twin eng. Mono. T8P-1
- 1937 Cessna Airmaster C37 monoplane
- 1937 Waco A/C YKS-7 biplane
- 1937 Waco A/C ZQC-6 biplane
- 1938 Phillip & Powis A/C Miles Whitney Straight
- 1938 Noorduyn Norseman monoplane
- 1939 Aeronautical Corp. Aeronca Chief monoplane
- 1940 Stinson Aircraft Div. Model 10 monoplane
- 1940 Focke Wulf, Weihi glider
- 1943 Beech A/C Expeditor 3T D18S
- 1940 Akron A/C Funk Model 1B monoplane
- 1936 Fleet A/C Fawn II biplane
- 1957 Edgar Percival A/C Prospector monoplane
- n/a Gyroplane prototype CF-OMO
- 1943 Beech Staggerwing GB-2 D17S
- NA Gyroplane prototype CF-OMO
- ca.1940 Fairey Swordfish Mark IV
- 1962 C.H. Goddard (Stits) Sky coupe monoplane
- NA Gyroplane prototype C-GUAG
- 1930 Avro Avian biplane CF-CDV
- 1951 Meyers A/C MAC145 monoplane
- 1951 Canadair Lockheed Silver Star 3 jet monopl
- 1949 Engineering & Research Corporation Ercoupe mono.
- 1947 Luscombe A/C Silvaire monoplane
- 1943 Boeing Stearman biplane
- 1946 Auster monoplane
- 1945 Fleet A/C Cornell II monoplane
- 1944 Noury/Fleet A/C Canuck monoplane
- 1962 Viking Aircraft Division Viking glider
- 1944 North American Mitchell B25J
- 1944 Howard Nightingale monoplane
- 1944 Federal Avro Anson 2 enigne monoplane
- 1943 Con Vultee Stinson Reliant monoplane
- 1946 Republic A/C SeaBee amphibious monoplane
[edit] Helicopter
- 1953 Sikorsky S58
[edit] The agricultural collection
Highlights of the agricultural collection are:
- 1908 IHC gas traction engine - the oldest in the collection
- 1910 Fairbanks Morse - Canadian
- 1910 Holt Caterpillar Tractor
- 1911 Nichols and Shepard steam tractor
- 1914 Rumley steam tractor
- 1920 Call-of-the-West hand feed thresher
- 1922 Sawyer Massey Steam Traction Engine
- 1947 IHC Thresher
- 1947 Massey Harris 10 foot binder
The museum's complete agricultural collection includes:
[edit] Baler, hay
- 1967 Minneapolis-Moline Balemaster 760
- ca.1924 McCormick-Deering wire tie baler with 4 hp IHC eng
- New Holland "Hayline" Model 271 Baler
[edit] Combine
- ca.1950 Allis-Chalmers Model 60-A (all crop harvestor)
- 1967 1969 Versatile Model 42 Combine
- ca.1967 Case Model 960 self-propelled combine
- 1935-42 McCormick-Deering Model 31-R pull-type combine
[edit] Combine, Self Propelled
- 1955 Mc Cormick Model 127SP Combine
[edit] Cultivator, Field
- Noble Blade cultivator Model A
- John Deere Model N Spring Tooth Cultivator
- John Deere 10 ft cultivator
- Massey-Harris No. 15 Stiff Tooth Cultivator
- Cockshutt 8 ft. Stiff Tooth Cultivator
- Massey-Harris No. 7 Spring Tooth Cultivator
- Case cultivator 14 foot
- ca. 1920 IHC-International Spring Tooth Cultivator
- IHC No. 8 Duplex Stiff Tooth Cultivator
- ca.1945 Ferguson 8 foot cultivator
[edit] Cultivator, Row Crop
- Deere "KA" Foot Guide Cultivator
- Massey-Harris No. 8 Two Row Corn Cultivator
[edit] Digger, Potato
- ca.1920 Horse Drawn, Walking Potato Digger
[edit] Disk, Oneway
- John Deere Model L Tractor Tandem Disk Harrow Plow
- ca. 1890 John Deere Disc Harrow
- Oliver No. 106 Oneway Disk
- McCormick-Deering No. 2 Harrow Plow
- ca. 1928 John Deere No. 7 Disk Tiller Oneway
- IHC McCormick-Deering Harrow Plow
- Cockshutt No. 33 Tiller Combine Oneway
- Cockshutt Horse Tandem Disk Harrow Plow
- Bissell 8 Foot Horse Tandem Disk Harrow Plow
[edit] Dockage Tester
- Emerson Dockage Tester (Kicker)
[edit] Harrow Disk
- ca. 1950 CCIL Harrower
- J.I. Case 10 Foot Tractor Single Disk Harrow
- John Deere AW Disk Harrow
- Massey-Harris 7 Ft Horse Single Disk Harrow
- Oliver Wide 32 Ft Single Disk Harrow
- 5 Foot Horse Single Disk Harrow
- Moline 8 Foot Single Disk Harrow
- John Deere Model B 8 Ft Single Disk Harrow
- IHC 12 Foot Tractor Tandem Disk
- Massey-Harris No. 14-7 Ft Single Disk Harrow
- McCormick-Deering Imperial Tractor Tandem Disk
- McCormick-Deering 8 Ft Horse Single Disk Harrow
- John Deere Model OB 7 Foot Single Disk Harrow
- McCormick-Deering 14 Ft Single Disk Harrow
- IHC 8 Foot Single Disk Harrow
- McCormick-Deering Imp. Tractor Tandem Disk Harrow
[edit] Harvesting
- ca. 1930 John Deere binder
- Coutts grinder
- ca 1955 Massey-Harris Swather
- ca 1932 Oliver Red River special Thresher
- Bulldog Fanning Mill
- Minneapolis-Moline Windrower
- IHC-McCormick Deering Dumprake
- Clevdstone grinder
- 1962 Masssey-Ferguson Combine #72
- Moisture Tester
- feed grinder
- 1945 Massey Harris #21 combine
- ca. 1927 Vessot Grinder
- Vessot feed grinder
- Massey-Harris Binder
- Blacksmithed Grain guards
- IH measuring stick w/advertising
- ca. 1938 McCormick-Deering Model 4E Ten-Foot Power Binder
- ca. 1926 Sunshine-Waterloo One-Man Self-Propelled Combine
- ca. 1916 Stewart Stook Loader
- 1905 Sawyer-Massey 28x44 Thresher
- 1942 Massey-Harris #21 self propelled combine
- ca. 1916 J.I. Case 40x62 Thresher
- ca. 1915 John Goodison 22x38 Thresher
- ca. 1945 Oliver Red River Special 22" Thresher
- ca. 1938 McCormick-Deering Model "E" Eight-Foot Binder
- ca. 1903 McCormick-Deering Ten Foot Push Binder I.H.C
- Massey-Harris Vertical Corn Binder
- ca. 1940 Massey-Harris No.17 Combine
- ca. 1945 Massey-Harris (George White No. 6) Thresher)
- 1901 McCormick-Deering Ten Foot Push Header I.H.C
- ca. 1902 McCormick Six Foot Right-Hand Cut Binder
- ca. 1920 Bulldog Fanning Mill
- ca. 1935 John Deere 7 ft. Cut Binder
- 1923 Avery "Yellow Baby" 22x32 Thresher
- ca. 1924 Advance-Rumely 28x44 Thresher
- 1954 Allis-Chalmers Model 66 "All Crop" Combine
- ca. 1921 J.I Case 28x48 Heavy-Duty Steel Thresher
- 1913 Avery 28 "Yellow Fellow" Thresher
- ca. 1920 IHC Deering Horizontal Corn Binder
- ca. 1927 Champion Six-Foot Binder
- ca. 1915 IHC Deering New Ideal Reaper
- ca. 1915 Desjardins "Call Of The West" 20x27 Thresher
- ca. 1880 Favorite 28x42 Thresher
- 1913 Aultman &Taylor 28 "New Century" Thresher
- ca. 1919 Francouer 28x36 Thresher-(Stanley Jones)
- ca. 1930 Holt Hillside Combine
- IHC Deering Binder
- Header Barge
- 1929 Harris 36' Combine
- ca. 1930 Frost and Wood No.5 Seven Foot Binder
- ca. 1915 The Chatham Fanning Mill
[edit] Hay Sweep
- Hay Sweep (wooden)
[edit] Haying
- ca. 1937 Massey-Harris No. 33 Mower
- ca. 1932 McCormick-Deering Power Baling Press
- 1939 McCormick-Deering Adjustable Crop Loader
- 1947 Allis-Chalmers Roto-Baler
- Alex Wild Oat Separator
- Rope Hay Cradle
- Manure fork
- Straw fork
- ca. 1905 Dain Truss Frame Sweep Rake
- ca. 1910 Massey-Harris No. 16 Mower
- B. F. Avery Champion Mower
- Cockshutt Giant Mower
- Bale pick
- 1940 Cockshutt "Champion" Rake
- Emerson-Brantingham Standard Mower
- 1915 Frost & Wood Giant 8 Mower
- 1910 IHC McCormick New 4 Mower
- ca. 1905 Massey-Harris Hay Loader No. 1
- ca. 1900 Massey-Harris Brantford 4 Rear Cut Mower
- 1895 Massey-Harris Sharp's Rake
- ca. 1920 IHC-Milwaukee No. 5 Chain-Drive Mower
- John Deere-Dain Mower
- ca. 1913 John Deere-Dain Two-Horse Pull Power
- ca. 1915 Frost & Wood "Tiger" Rake
- ca. 1900 Jones Chain-Drive Mower
[edit] Hay-Loader
- ca.1950 Massey Harris Model 44 "Farmhand" Loader
[edit] Machine threshing
- ca.1900-15 Desjardin Champion Canadien No. 1
- ca.1910 Ferguson No. 27 hand-feed thresher
- ca.1928 John Deere Model 30 elevator
- 1915 Sawyer-Massey Great West thresher
- 1918 Aultman & Taylor 32 X 50 thresher #34568
- 1924 Goodison 24" thresher
[edit] Miscellaneous
- Hog Oiler
- 1946 "Roto Tiller" Model B-1-6
[edit] Motorized, tractor
- 1949 Oliver Model 77 Standard Tractor
[edit] Mower
- ca. 1935 Simplicity Hand-Driven Sickle Mower
[edit] Parts
- John Deere Tractor Binder, with accessories
- Eckel special self-propelled swather
[edit] Picker, Fruit
- "Humbke Pick-All" manual fruit picking tool
[edit] Pickler, Grain
- 1920 Johnson's automatic pickler
[edit] Plow, Disk
- Massey-Harris No. 3 Disk Plow
- Massey Harris Great West #2 gang plow
- Cockshutt New Rotary Disk Plow
- P&O 6 Bottom No. 12 Disk Plow
- Emerson 6 Bottom Disk Plow
- LaCrosse 5 Bottom Disk Plow
- Cockshutt Jewel gang plow, with pole and eveners
- Moline 3 Bottom Disk Plow
- Massey-Harris Power Lift Tractor Disk Plow
- J.I. Case Co. Wheatland Disk Plow
- Hancock Disk Plow
- John Deere Gang plow
[edit] Plow, Moldboard
- Cockshutt Steel Beam Breaker Plow
- Cockshutt Traction Scrub Breaker Plow
- Cockshutt 8 Bottom Power Lift Engine Gang Plow
- Cockshutt Wood Beam Brush Breaker Plow
- Case Grand Detour Tractor Plow
- 1900 Casaday Cast Arch Frame Sulky Plow
- Avery 6 Bottom Power Lift Engine Gang Plow
- Arch Frame Gang Plow
- IHC Little Wonder Tractor Gang Plow
- Avery 3 Bottom Power Lift Engine Gang Plow
- ca. 1923 P&O Little Genius No. 5 Tractor Plow
- Steel Reinforced Beam horse Plow
- Paris Scotch Clipper High Lift Sulky Plow
- Rock Island 4 Bottom Tractor Plow
- Rumely 6 Bottom Power Lift Engine Gang Plow
- Cult. Fabricated From A Cockshutt Beaver Gang Plow
- Massey-H. #18A Power Lift Tractor Triple Gang Plow
- McCormick-Deering Oliver Style Brush Breaker Plow
- ca. 1914 Avery 3 Bottom Power lift plow
- ca. 1920 Cockshutt Simplex sulky plow
- ca. 1910 Sattley Hart Parr 8 bottom "Self Lift" engine
- ca. 1900-10 Sattley 4 bottom power lift engine gang plow
- 1927 Van Style Model 427 Breaker Plow
- ca. 1910 Heavy construction Breaker Plow w/ Lacarose wheel
- Oliver No. 400 Series Tractor Quadruple Gang Plow
- Moline Good Enough Stag Sulky Plow
- McCormick-D. No. 460 Tractor Brush Breaker Plow
- Moline Flying Dutchman Eng.3 Gang Tractor Plow
- Oliver No. 300 Series Tractor Triple Gang Plow
- Oliver 12 Bottom Flexible Engine Gang Plow
- Oliver No. 1 High Lift Gang Plow
- 1916-28 Oliver No. 53 High Lift Triple Gang Plow
- Oliver No. 39 Stag Sulky Plow
- 1930-50 Oliver No.383B Adjustable Triple Gang Plow
- Oliver Light Tractor Brush Breaker Plow
- Oliver No. 79 Tractor Quadruple Gang Plow
- Oliver Wood Beam Brush Breaker Plow
- Oliver No. 22A Lever Lift Gang Plow
- Oliver No. 80 8 Bottom Lever Lift Engine Gang Plow
- Oliver Engine Gang Plow
- Oliver #79 Four Bottom Tractor Plow
- John Deere "New Deere" Foot Lift Sulky Plow
- ca. 1912 Original Model Van Slyke Plow
- ca. 1912 Golden Age Stag Sulky Plow
- John Deere No. 5 Pony 3 Bottom Tractor Plow
- J.I. Case Plow Works "Enicar" Tractor Gang Plow
- John Deere Pony 4 Bottom Tractor Plow
- John Deere 12 Bottom Big Engine Gang Plow
- Moline Sulky Plow
- John Deere No. 6 Winnipeg Stag Sulky Plow
- John Deere Ranger Stag Sulky Plow
- John Deere No. 8 Winnipeg Stag Sulky Plow
- David Bradley X-Rays No. 2 Sulky Plow
- Cockshutt 5 Bottom Lever Lift Engine Gang Plow
- Cockshutt J.G.C. Sulky Plow
- Olives IHC No. 1 Improved High Lift Gang Plow
- David Bradley No. 6 Gang Plow
- IHC Hamilton Brush Breaker Plow
- ca. 1905 Diamond No. 1 Gang Plow
- Emerson-Brantingham No. 102E Tractor Gang Plow
- ca. 1913 Emerson Foot Lift Sulky Plow
- CockshuttEmpire Chief Walking Gang Plow
- Cockshutt 12 Bottom Lever Lift Engine Gang Plow
- Massey-Harris No. 2 Wood Beam Brush Breaker low
- ca. 1909 Massey-Harris New ID Box-Frame Sulky Plow
- ca. 1900 Massey-Harris Victoria Foot Lift Sulky Plow
- 1936 Richardson Walking Plow
[edit] Plow, Breaking
- ca.1950 Custom Built Breaking Plow
[edit] Plow, Gang
- ca.1945 Ferguson 3 Bottom Plow
[edit] Seeding
- Massey harris Model 316 Seed Drill
- ca. 1925 Massey Harris Seed Drill
- Canadian Industries Ltd. Seed Treater
- C. K & Co. Hamburg L. Seeder Plow
- Cockshutt 36 Row Single Disk Seed Drill
- Potato planter
- McCormick-Deering drill
- ca. 1928 IHC seed Drill with Fertilizer attachment
- Van Brunt John Deere Seed Drill
- Potato Planter (Aspinwall Type)
- IHC Double Disk Seed Drill
- Fountain City Shoe Seed Drill
- IHC Deering Seed Drill;
[edit] Spreader
- Massey-Harris No. 4 Manure Spreader
- ca. 1940 Cockshutt No. 4 Steel-Bodied Manure Spreader
- ca. 1925 IHC "Corn King" Manure Spreader
- ca. 1930 John Deere-Dain Model C Manure Spreader
[edit] Swather
- 1954 Hydraulic Engineering Model "15 foot" swather
[edit] Tractor
- ca. 1920 "CANADIAN" tractor
[edit] Tractor, Garden
- 1920 Kinkade Garden Tractor
- ca. 1940 Simplicity Garden Tractor
- ca. 1938 Standard Monarch Garden Tractor
- ca. 1920 Centaur Garden Tractor
- ca. 1950 David Bradley Garden tractor
[edit] Tractor, Farm
- 1919 Rumely "Oil Pull", Type H Tractor
- ca.1937 Minneapolis-Moline, Model ZTS Tractor
- 1938 McCormick-Deering, Model W14 Tractor
- 1944 John Deere, Model BR Tractor
- ca.1943 Massey-Harris "General" Tractor
- 1914 Galloway 12-24 Tractor
- 1920 Eagle, Model H, 20-40 Tractor
- 1948 John Deere Model M tractor
- 1952 Funk converted Ford 8N Tractor
- ca.1950 Cockshutt Model 30 tractor
- 1938 Oliver Model 80 tractor #805540
- ca. 1947Oliver Model 88 tractor #18055812
- 1914 Big Bull Tractor 12-24
- ca. 1945 Rockol Tractor
- 1928 Rumely "Oil Pull", Type W Tractor
- ca. 1920 Sawyer-Massey 11-22 (Waukesha Engine) Tractor
- ca. 1941 Cockshutt Model 90 tractor
- ca. 1920 Sawyer-Massey 12-20 (Erd Engine) Tractor
- ca. 1953 Cockshutt Model 50 tractor
- ca. 1955 Ferguson Model TE Tractor
- ca. 1953 Allis-Chalmers IB Tractor
- ca. 1915 Sawyer-Massey 17-34 Tractor
- ca. 1916 Sawyer-Massey 20-35 Tractor
- ca. 1916 Twin City, Model E 25-50 Tractor
- ca. 1916 Moline "Universal" Tractor
- ca. 1928 Twin City, Model FTA 20-35 Tractor
- 1953 Massey-Harris Model 44
- ca. 1923 Rock Island 18-36 Tractor
[edit] Weeder
- Cockshutt Rod Weeder
- Riverside Iron Works Mill's 14 Foot Wire Weeder
- Mill's Wire Weeder
- Single Wheel Rotary Rod Weeder
[edit] Well, Water
- Fairbanks "Eclipse" Pump Engine
- Baker "Monitor" Pump Jack with Waterous Pump
- Beatty Brothers Pump Jack
- Beatty Electric Force Pump
- Fuller & Johnson Pump w/Engine
- Beatty Water pump
- 1-1/2 International pump engine
- "Better Systems" Electric Force Pump
[edit] Wheel
- 1930 Snell "walking wheel" prototype
[edit] Reference centre
This Museum's award winning reference centre offers visitors the largest publicly accessible collection of motor vehicle, aviation, agricultural and industrial trade publication literature in Canada. Topics covered include automobiles, motorcycles, bicycles, airplanes, tractors, plows, threshing machines, steam traction engines, fire-fighting equipment, road construction machinery, and more. The collection consists of books, magazines and newsletters, journals, newspapers, service manuals, parts manuals, owners' manuals, price lists, advertisement and subject files, research reports, and audio-visual materials, with more than 3,000 books, 50 current subscriptions and 25,000 pieces of trade literature dating from the mid-1800s to the present. Experienced staff provide a wide variety of reference services, answering thousands of questions each year for restoration enthusiasts, museum and library professionals, historians, collectors, hobbyists, and just the curious from all over the world. Orientation tours are provided to individuals and special interest groups. Photocopies are available for a nominal fee. (Note: This is a non-lending reference centre. All materials must be consulted on site.)
[edit] Restoration shop and conservation laboratory
Artifact restoration, maintenance, and conservation are done in the Museum's Restoration Shop and Conservation Laboratory.
The staff share their knowledge with serious car enthusiasts interested in learning museum-quality restoration techniques through a popular vehicle restoration workshop series, "Learn From the Experts", held each January and February. Workshops include the vehicle restoration process; metal finish repair on automobile bodies; surface preparation, paints and finishes; and detailing techniques.
The professional conservator in the Conservation Lab repairs and stabilizes the original materials and finishes of rare and unique artifacts, attempting to stop further deterioration. This services requires a combination of patient detective work and chemical wizardry.
