Behind the scenes: pleasant surprises

And so another week begins. I wonder what surprises are in store for Banting House National Historic Site of Canada today.

Why do I expect surprises? On Friday we had the privilege of hosting The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister for Public Works and Government Services, Susan Truppe, MP, and Ed Holder, MP. This wasn’t an event that we had spent weeks planning, but rather an impromptu visit that was organized about a day beforehand.

A big part of working at a small museum is being able to alter plans at short notice. We’re always more than happy to accommodate our guests. Once we had our new plan finalized, we prepared for the visit – my Friday morning was mostly spent polishing the display cases. Grant gave our visitors a tour, highlighting Banting’s accomplishments, the moving story of insulin, and the importance of preserving that story as we continue to search for a cure for diabetes. During the tour I had the task of taking photos. It was slightly tricky to keep up with everyone as the group moved through the halls, galleries and doorways of the house, but I did manage to take some great shots!

The group standing in Banting’s bedroom, where he first conceived the idea that led to the discovery of insulin.

Grant shows our distinguished guests the replica of Banting’s Nobel Prize.

Many people are surprised to learn about Banting’s favourite pastime – painting.

All of this is to say that you never know what’s going to happen at Banting House from week to week, or even day to day. If you want to work at a museum, prepare to be flexible – and prepare to never get bored.

This blog was posted by Stacey Devlin, graduate research assistant at Banting House NHSC. Stacey Devlin is an M.A. candidate in Public History at Western University.