Daniel Kitts, TVO
October 25, 2017
A new video series spotlights rarely seen artifacts from the Museum of Science and Technology, in Ottawa
Museums are, by definition, filled with things to see. Even so, space limitations mean that most museums are able to show only 2 to 4 per cent of their collections at any given time. They display only selected artifacts, and warehouse the rest.
A new video series commissioned by TVO offers a peek at the many fascinating objects one museum has stored away.
The series, called Treasures from the Collection, will showcase up to 200 individual artifacts from Canada’s Museum of Science and Technology, located in Ottawa.
“It’s neat to see these things that were part of who we were, who we’ve become,” says Frank Taylor of Title Entertainment, which produced the series.
The museum’s collection, which spans centuries, features contraptions such as antique music boxes, early microphones, and Cold War–era rocket engines.
Some of the items are rather esoteric — for example, a 19th-century visual aid for teaching geometry. Others have more flair: you’ll see a souped-up snowmobile with a body designed by George Barris, creator of the Batmobile featured in the 1960s Batman television series. Then there are items that are practical, but still super-cool, such as a deep sea–diving suit that was used around the world for commercial, military, and movie-making purposes.