We are preparing to open our latest permanent exhibit based on the New Brunswick’s medical history and are looking for donations to help us create a child component for the exhibit. We are a not-for-profit registered charity with a mandate to collect, preserve and interpret the history relating to central New Brunswick, and in particular the city of Fredericton. We publish a history journal twice a year, hold several educational programs and operate a significant history museum with a dozen galleries and exhibit spaces.

The theme of our new exhibit, From Black Bag to High Science, is health care in central New Brunswick in the twentieth century. A central issue in the life of the post war period, health care reflected the growth of the service economy and the emergence of the federal presence in the community. It also reflected the growing expectations of the people of the region and the demand for these services helped shape the nature of community after 1950.

This is similar to what we would like to add to our new medical history exhibit. This image is from a blog called

This is similar to what we would like to add to our new medical history exhibit. This image is from a blog called “A View from the Edge”.

The gallery, originally an archival storage room, has been completely renovated and the exhibit is almost installed. We would like to add an interactive component to the exhibit that will interest and entertain our younger museum visitors. Plans are in the works for two interactive stations that children (and adults) can enjoy while they visit the exhibit. The first is a large tabletop version of the game Operation and the second is an x-ray photo-op board.

A photo-op board found at Jelly Stone Park Campground in Woodstock, New Brunswick. We would like to create one that is an x-ray machine.

A photo-op board found at Jelly Stone Park Campground in Woodstock, New Brunswick. We would like to create one that is an x-ray machine.

Building community partnerships is important to the York Sunbury Historical Society and the Museum will be happy to acknowledge your donation in our Annual General Report, on our website, on our 2011 donor appreciation panel and in our speeches during the exhibit opening. Donations can be made on line through Canada Helps and tax receipts can be provided. We have had a few donations already (thank you, thank you, thank you) so please follow the blue Canada Helps (CanaDon) link on the right side bar of our blog if you would like to contribute!

Based on a contractor estimate that specializes in constructing museum interactive components, the projected cost of the project is $6,500. If you can be of assistance to our exhibit, we would greatly appreciate your support. I’ll be tracking our fundraising progress on our blogs using the fundraising widget in the sidebar, so please check back often.

Thank you and kindest regards, Ruth.