Wallaceburg and District Museum
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| Established | June 29, 1984 |
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| Location | 505 King Street, Wallaceburg, Ontario, Canada |
| Type | Cultural/Historic Museum |
| Collection size | 85,000 |
| Website | http://www.kent.net/wallaceburg-museum/index.html |
The Wallaceburg and District Museum is located in Southern Ontario in the town of Wallaceburg. Located a half-block from the banks of the Sydenham River, the museum occupies the former Wallaceburg Hydro Office at 505 King Street. The museum opened on June 29, 1984. The museum documents the beginning of the Wallaceburg community from the founding of the Baldoon Settlement by Lord Selkirk in 1804 to its success as an industrial hub in the mid-1900s.
In 1974, five men combined their efforts to found the Wallaceburg and District Historical Society (WDHS). They were Doug Thompson, A.G. Fairhead, Tom Chatterton, Frank Mann and Al Mann.
The group sought to create a means of preserving and exhibiting the history of the Wallaceburg community, and decided on the creation of a public museum. In 1975, the WDHS used funds from the recently acquired "New Horizon Grant" to purchase microfische and recording equipment to begin compiling materials for the project. The WDHS began conducting interviews with older citizens of the community, and sotring material property to one day be exhibited. In 1981, the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport (formerly known as the Ontario Ministry of Culture and Recreation) became involved in the project, and worked with the WDHS to find potential sites for the construction of the museum, one of which being a large building at 505 King Street owned by Wallaceburg Hydro. In 1983, The Town of Wallaceburg purchased the building from Wallaceburg Hydro for $1 Canadian. On June 29, 1984, the Wallaceburg and District Museum was officially opened.
In 1997, the museum was massively renovated to include a larger basement for future exhibits, as well as an upstairs auditorium for guest speakers, concerts, and presentations. The auditorium would also be available to the public to be rented for personal events. Renovations were completed within the year, and auditorium was named Hydro Electric Auditorium, harkening back to the original ownership of the building by Wallaceburg Hydro. The entire complex, containing both the auditorium and the museum, was given the name Von Ayres Cultural Centre in honour of late Wallaceburg WW1 veteran Sgt. Estell Von Ayres.
In 2001 and 2002, work was done to completely renovate the Glass Gallery Exhibit. The WDHS worked with retired workers from the Sydenham Glass Company (which had just recently closed in 1999) to collect and authenticate new pieces for the overhauled exhibit.
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