ArticleCasa Loma

Even though "men and women in period dress" provide a personal touch, Open Air Museums (and museums, in general) are a cultural phenomenon that deals first and foremost with society as such rather than with particular individuals. That's why Casa Loma/A House on the Hill, while technically a museum, is much more of what its name implies - a Home. 

A story of an “unabashed romantic” Henry Pellatt and his favourite abode, as well as the most striking product of his creative mind, is told by his wife (or ascribed to her). As a result, it doesn’t contain such sentences as “Now we enter Lady Pellatt’s suite. On your left you can see an oak armchair in which Lady used to spend her days. The walls of the suite are painted in Wedgwood blue”. Instead a young and sonorous female voice filled with enthusiasm would bring the visitors’ attention to “a specially designed armchair, a present from my husband, in which I loved to spend my days. I liked its light colour, and the wood – was it an oak? – was most comfortable to touch on. Due to my weak legs, I had to remain seated for most of the time during the later parts of my life, and these little details meant a lot to me. As you see, the armchair is located right in front of this big window facing our beautiful lawn and park. Besides, the walls of my suite were painted light blue, my favourite colour, so I always had something nice to rest my eyes upon…”. 

This simple story, authentic in its very simplicity, provided much more than a museum guiding. Combined with many other similar pieces, it bridged between times and cultures and lent a human touch to the guests’ experience. That sick woman could have easily collapsed into a state of endless melancholy, but chose to use the opportunities given by her fortune and social position to make everyone’s life around her a little bit brighter. Encouraged by her husband, she became a patroness of the newly established Girl Guides organization and turned a wing of her castle into its headquarters. Sir Henry himself was a dedicated supporter of a Canadian military regiment called “The Queen’s Own Rifles”...