Archives do more than preserve the past; they foster a deeper understanding of our shared identity and collective memory. Celebrated annually during the first week of April, Archives Awareness Week highlights the importance of preserving the photographs, records, and stories that shape Ontario’s communities.
In recognition of Archives Awareness Week, the Collingwood Museum is pleased to announce two new initiatives: a fundraising campaign to support the acquisition of a remarkable documentary photograph collection from 1978, and a community partnership celebrating the rich history of Collingwood Collegiate Institute.
Documentary Photograph Collection: Collingwood Shipyards Behind the Scenes
The Collingwood Museum has entered into a purchasing agreement with documentary photographer Ursula Heller to bring a remarkable collection of photographs home to Collingwood. The collection includes 79 rolls of black-and-white film and 309 prints, an invaluable visual record of a defining era in Collingwood’s shipbuilding history. The Museum is currently seeking community support to acquire and preserve this collection, ensuring it can be shared with current and future generations.
In 1978, Ursula Heller was granted rare access to the Collingwood Shipyards during a pivotal moment in Canadian shipbuilding. At a time when the industry faced significant challenges, Ursula chose to document the people behind the ships, and the beauty she found in the shipbuilding process.
Welcomed into workers’ homes and introduced to their families, she captured personal moments and stories that reveal the strength and pride of local shipbuilding families. Likewise, her photographs of the shipyard offer rare glimpses into areas seldom seen by the public.
The resulting collection is both intimate and powerful. By focusing her lens on the men and women of the shipyard, Ursula created a lasting tribute to the human side of shipbuilding in Collingwood. Her work was later featured in a travelling exhibition and in the widely read publication The Shipbuilders of Collingwood.
Community contributions will help safeguard these powerful stories and keep Collingwood’s shipbuilding heritage alive. Donate online or visit the Collingwood Museum in person. Donations of $20 or more are eligible for a charitable tax receipt.
Hidden for a Century: Inside Collingwood Collegiate’s Time Capsule
On May 15, 1925, the cornerstone of the new Collingwood Collegiate Institute located at the corner of Hume Street and Hurontario was laid during a grand public ceremony. Carefully placed behind that cornerstone was a time capsule. Inside were documents preserved from the school’s earliest time capsule dating to 1879, along with contemporary photographs and records reflecting life in 1925.
The new school officially opened its doors on January 6, 1926, serving generations of students both as a high school and later an elementary school, known as Admiral Collingwood.
A century later, the Museum is partnering with the present-day Collingwood Collegiate Institute to present the time capsule contents alongside archival materials generously loaned from the school’s collection that capture life at the school 100 years ago.
Special thanks are extended to CCI teacher Ryan Mundle for his invaluable assistance in researching and identifying items from the school’s archival collection, helping to bring this chapter of Collingwood Collegiate’s history to life.
The exhibit will be on display from April 4 until June 19, 2026.
For full details about the Collingwood Museum and upcoming events and activities, please visit the Museum’s webpage at www.collingwood.ca/museum. The Collingwood Museum is located at 45 St Paul Street.