The history of the Park House Museum is being presented every weekend this month, with a different nighttime twist.
The museum is offering All Hallows Eve Candle Lit Tours every weekend through the end of October. The event kicked off Thanksgiving weekend but continues Oct. 19-20 and Oct. 26-27.
Curator Katheryn “Kat” Schryburt says the tour looks at Halloween, medicine, funerals and has interactive experiences as well. She said the tour shares “scary aspects of pioneer life.”
The All Hallows Eve Candle Lit tours had 15 people attend the four sessions Saturday night and another 11 come Sunday night.
“For Thanksgiving weekend, it’s not bad at all,” she said.
Schryburt has been on the job less than a month but developed the event with materials found from displays and events in years past.
“It’s a newer event based off of previous research,” said Schryburt. “We’re asking people to register in advance to help us make sure we have the supplies we need for it.”
Schryburt added: “I found an old exhibit the previous curator Stephanie (Pouget-Papak) put up during Halloween and I turned it into this experience. We hope to run this annually.”
In addition to the tour by candlelight, members of the public also had a chance to learn about baking in the historic Park House kitchen and learn tinsmithing in the pensioner’s cottage.
Schryburt is a graduate of the University of Windsor and Western, earning a Masters in public history at the latter. She has worked in museums in the past, such as Heritage Village, John R. Park Homestead and Museum Windsor before coming to the Park House Museum.
“I’ve wanted to be a curator since I was 16-years-old,” she explained. “This opportunity came up. I struck while the iron was hot and applied.”
Schryburt said she knew of the Park family through her work at John R. Park Homestead. She plans more events going forward, including seasonal events such as one planned during the Christmas season.
The Park House Museum is open Wednesday-Sunday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. with the season closing at the end of December.
For more information on the tours, contact the Park House Museum at 519-736-2511 or e-mail parkhousemuseum@gmail.com. Tickets are $12 for adults, $8 for seniors and students and a $35 family rate (up to four).
All Hallows Eve Candle Lit tours being presented at the Park House Museum
By Ron Giofu
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