Surrounded by rolling valleys, pastures, orchards, and vineyards, this charming and picturesque Quebec town of Stanstead boasts a hidden gem of a museum
If you love history and heritage and plan to tour Quebec’s Eastern Townships this fall, the Colby-Curtis Museum is a must-visit.
Located in the Township of Stanstead just north of the Vermont border in a classic Georgian–style villa called Carrollcroft, the museum hosts multiple programs, events, and exhibits to showcase the history, heritage, arts, and culture of this predominantly English-speaking region.
The museum is the permanent home of the Stanstead Historical Society, which was founded in 1928 by local descendants of the Township’s early settlers. “They were a bit of a roving Society until 1992, when Carrollcroft was donated to them,” says Zoe Desborough, Communications and Events Manager at the Colby-Curtis Museum. The building was previously the residence of the Colbys, a prominent family of American origin who made substantial contributions to the community.
Temporary exhibit: The Les Généreuses/Caregivers:
Giving voice to the more invisible members of community
The museum’s collection includes over 15,000 items and artifacts dating from the end of the 1700s to the end of the 1900s. Its permanent exhibition offers visitors an intriguing and immersive glimpse into the lifestyle of several generations of the Colby family, as well as many aspects of the different social groups that inhabited the area.
Throughout the year, the museum also hosts temporary exhibitions. The current The Caregivers/Les Généreuses exhibit documents the legacy of the region’s grandmothers and mothers who nurtured and cared for today’s elders. The culmination of a nine-month co-creation project between 13 women elders from the English-speaking community and the Federated Women’s Institutes of Canada archives, “this exhibit is our way of giving voice to the more invisible members of our community,” says Marie-Charlotte Franco, Curator at the Colby-Curtis Museum. “At the heart of the exhibit is the theme of generosity, so it’s about giving your time and what you have without expecting something in return.”
Celebrating caregivers’ impact
The exhibit is intended as a starting point for visitors to reflect on what they received and learned from their own maternal forebears and what they are transmitting to the next generation. “Visitors are invited to write their own personal messages about what their mothers and grandmothers transmitted to them, and we see a lot of very moving expressions of gratitude, so this notion of intergenerational knowledge is quite universal,” says Franco.
In addition to celebrating women’s contributions as caregivers, the exhibit also raises awareness of the Women’s Institutes across Canada and their role in preserving this intergenerational knowledge. As the community elders age, these associations are disappearing, as are the strong sense of solidarity, community-building, and transfer of knowledge. From now until the end of the exhibit on May 25, 2025, the museum will be hosting cultural workshops and talks with the 13 elders who participated in its co-creation.
In addition to viewing the exhibits, visitors can shop in the museum’s gift shop, which features crafts and objects made by local artists, or book a Sunday tea if visiting during the summer. “We just had our own specialty tea blend developed, which we serve with cucumber sandwiches and scones in our beautiful solarium overlooking the Victorian gardens,” says Desborough. Seasonal teas are also served at various times during the fall, winter, and spring.
Learn more about the temporary exhibit and download the exhibit booklet at colbycurtis.ca
Get your tickets today and enjoy a complimentary taste test of our Colby-Curtis Tea blend. Use the code NATIONALPOSTCCM at checkout.
