The long-awaited permanent geology exhibit of Dr. James Wilson will be unveiled at the Perth Museum on Saturday, Oct. 13.
For more than a year, the likes of geologist Michael Bainbridge and museum curator and heritage manager Karen Rennie have been going through “boxes and barrels and bins in the basement,” of the museum, according to Coun. Beth Peterkin, going through the Scottish doctor’s rock collection.
“Thanks to everyone who dug around in the basement,” said Peterkin.
Now the painstaking process of cleaning, sorting, cataloguing and arranging the collection is coming to fruition. New cabinets have been installed on the museum’s third floor to showcase the collection, featuring such local gems – figuratively speaking, of course – as Perthite, named after our good town, and Wilsonite, named after the good doctor.
A local jeweler has also been commissioned to work, at cost, to make jewelry to complement the collection.
“It will be a good tourism draw,” said Peterkin at the town council meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 25. “Who would have thought that a medical doctor finding some interesting rocks would result in an interesting collection?”
Peterkin commended the Ontario Highlands Tourism Organization (OHTO) for its help in pushing the project forward.
“Recreational geology was deemed to be something of importance because of the importance of the materials to be found in this area,” said Peterkin.
“It’s always great to see what treasures are in our museum,” said Mayor John Fenik.