Lambton County Museum

Nestled amongst the trees just off Hwy. 21, south of Grand Bend, Lambton Heritage Museum houses extensive collections from local families, mementoes from a time past and a rural history recalled. Permanently on display in the Lambton Gallery is a time-line and history of the area, recounting the first settlers and the development which has brought the county to the end of the millennium.

The Walden Gallery will bring 'ohs' and 'ahs' with the amazing collection of crystal and glassware, porcelain and pottery. Walls filled with portraits depict an era of gentility while the tools hung on the walls indicate the hard work of survival. The putty art, a three-foot tall pillar created from the shards of broken pottery shows how families kept the pieces of their lives, displayed through art. Small and large fossils along-side an impressive exhibit of native axes, arrowheads, drills, spears, scrapers, knives, pendants and amulets connects the lavish living of the wealthy to the rustic lifestyles of the settlers and the natives before them.

Be sure to wander to the back of the museum property where five authentic structures allow visitors to envision life in another time. The Ravenswood Blacksmith Shop and Beef-Ring Slaughterhouse illustrate the working environment which prevailed for years. Mary Ellen Chapel, Rokeby School and Tudhop home show another side of life through the turn of the century. Two buildings house an extensive assortment of agricultural wares from the smallest hand tool to largest field machinery.

Each year the museum hosts special activities for the guests. In the fall, a craft sale held in October, draws people from across southwestern Ontario as the Christmas shopping season gets underway. Over 100 vendors offer handcrafted goods, current collectibles and unique gifts such as jewelry, pottery and country decorations.