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The story
behind Bala’s Museum is almost as colourful as any story
that L.M. Montgomery wrote. In July, 1990, Jack and Linda
Hutton honeymooned in P.E.I. Days after returning to Bala,
they saw a letter from Dr. Mary Rubio, L.M. Montgomery’s
official biographer, which told them that LMM had based one
of her best books, "The Blue Castle", upon a little-known
Bala holiday in 1922.
Jack and
Linda promptly bought the former tourist home where LMM had
her meals and lovingly restored it back to what Lucy Maud
Montgomery saw in 1922. The museum officially opened on July
24th, 1992, the 70th anniversary of the day that LMM arrived
in Bala.
Many predicted
that a private museum would last no more than two or three
years without public funding of any kind. On the contrary,
Bala’s Museum is still here and known around the world
as one of the best L.M. Montgomery museums anywhere. By late
2010, more than 100,000 visitors had come from every corner
of the globe.
In 1998,
Jack and Linda Hutton told the story behind their museum and
"The Blue Castle" in their own book, "Lucy
Maud Montgomery and Bala: a Love Story of the North Woods".
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We Are Now On Facebook!
 You
can now plug in on a daily basis to see what’s new
at Bala’s Museum. We encourage visitors to share their
own photo memories. All you have to do is to e-mail us your
photos in a JPEG format. You can add comments about what
you enjoyed at the museum and what first got you interested
in L.M. Montgomery’s books.
If
you are on Facebook (it’s easy to register) just plug
in “Bala’s
Museum with Memories of Lucy Maud Montgomery”.
You can stay in touch with us all year-round.
We’ll
see you on the web!
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BALA'S
MUSEUM
with Memories of Lucy Maud Montgomery
New
Summer Hours
June 29 - Sept. 4, 2011
Monday and Wednesday 12 - 4 pm
Closed: Tuesday
Thurs., Fri., Sat., Sun. 1 - 4 pm
Spring Hours
Weekends May 21 - June 26
Saturday - Sunday 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Fall Hours
Sept. 10 - Oct. 16
Saturday - Sunday 1:00 pm - 4 pm
Call to arrange special tours on fall or spring week days
Chinese
visitors welcome! Click here
Korean
visitors welcome! Click here
It’s
one of the best in all Canada!
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DOORS
OPEN MUSKOKA
www.doorsopenontario.on.ca
Saturday, June 25th, 2011
See Bala’s Museum free of charge
as part of DOORS OPEN MUSKOKA
Hours
are 10 am to 4 pm.
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 Everything
Anne Day
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Our annual
re-enactment of L.M. Montgomery coming to Bala in 1922 is
an afternoon of "Everything Anne". Families will
enjoy egg-on-a-spoon races, 3-legged races, sack races, and
prizes for best costumes of characters from "Anne of
Green Gables" (Anne, Diana, Matthew, Marilla, Gilbert
and Josie Pye). Popcorn, cake, and freckles are free. Bring
the whole family for an afternoon of fun at 1:30. Normal admission
of $3.50 a person or $10 for family of four.
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Cran-Anne
Look-A-like Contest – Sat., Oct. 15, 2011
Always
one of the most popular events at the Bala Cranberry Festival.
Click here for the Cran-Anne page
to see results of the 2010 contest.
The winner, Michayla Parker, 11, is at the left.
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Bala’s
Museum celebrates the life and writings of Canada’s favourite
author, Lucy Maud Montgomery. Since its opening in July, 1992, it
has become known as one of the best LMM museums in all Canada, attracting
LMM fans and scholars from all around the world (39 countries so
far ).
But Bala’s
Museum is more than that. It is a wonderful family outing where
children can take tours in our costumes. Family fun is what we’re
all about.
Group tours
also love the museum. Linda does a talk on the life and times of
L.M. Montgomery. Jack does a ragtime sing-along. (Click
here for group tour info).
Admission
$3.50 a person / $10
a family (limit of four).
Bala’s
Museum L.M. Montgomery Exhibits - The
silver tea set given to LMM as a wedding present in 1911 is on display. We are
grateful to her grandson, David Macdonald, for loaning it to us.
- A
set of 1939 Sunday School papers with LMM’s condensation of "Anne of
Ingleside".
- The
basket in which Maud kept her personal correspondence.
- One
of the best collections of her books, including rare and first editions. Foreign
editions include Chinese (click here), Dutch, Polish, Japanese, Icelandic, French
and many others .
- Handwritten
excerpts and photos from LMM’s Bala diary.
- The
boat that sank under actress Megan Follows in the TV movie "Anne of Green
Gables".
- Avonlea
schoolhouse in miniature.
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Our
Gift Shop
The Toronto
Sun has said we have one of the best Anne of Green Gables
gift shops in Canada and we just get better and better. Offered
are hard-to-find editions of LMM books, Anne movies, old-fashioned
toys, exclusive dolls and doll clothes, vintage Green Gables
china and children’s costumes for sale. It’s worth
the drive to Bala for the special people on your Christmas
list.
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Kids
Can Dress Up
Boys and
girls have a choice of our costumes to wear during their family
tour. For girls, dresses and flowered hats right out of "Avonlea";
sailor shirts and hats for boys (That’s Linda with a
typical tour at left).
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Free
Raspberry Cordial Fudge
with proof of admission or purchase from other Muskoka attractions
such as Santa’s Village, Lady Muskoka Cruises, Muskoka
Heritage Place, Back Country Paintball, Muskoka Lakes Museum,
Muskoka Wildlife Centre, Rich Hill Candles & Gifts, Muskoka
Boat & Heritage Centre and Bethune Memorial House.
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NEW
- Tips on how to plan an Anne of Green Gables birthday party
Bala’s Museum can supply everything you need for an Anne
of Green Gables birthday party, from goodie bags to prizes.
Click here
for step by step tips. |
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Anne:
Madly Off In All Directions
This
popular display shows how a book about a red-haired orphan
caught the world by surprise in 1908, and the amazing spin-offs
that have resulted from that first "Anne of Green Gables"book.
Visitors will find several surprises in the display, including
a few "Anne" souvenir items that would have L.M.
Montgomery spinning in her grave.
Location
& Directions
We are
about 200 kilometres or a two-hour drive north of Toronto.
Click here for directions and maps.
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LIcensed
by Heirs of L.M. Montgomery
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Member
Ontario Museums Association
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