GLANMORE CELEBRATES SIGN LANGUAGES OF CANADA
Glanmore National Historic Site is a beautifully built and architecturally significant house that’s now a museum in Belleville, showcasing an impressive local history. The house features a stunning art collection with exquisite frames, furniture, decorations, and a rich history.
I recently visited and met with Danielle, who is involved with a travelling exhibit on Sign Languages in Canada. It filled me with pride to be deaf, as I felt a deep connection to the significance of language and deaf culture in shaping our understanding of the world.
This article was written in June, 2025, and the travelling exhibit will be on display through July, 2025.
Written and Photographed by Emily LaFleur-Brewster
Read time: 4 min
Bringing Stories to Life: Meet Glanmore’s Exhibit Coordinator
Danielle McMahon-Jones is a museum professional and Exhibit Development Coordinator at Glanmore. Born and raised in Belleville, she is responsible for developing in-house exhibits and bringing travelling exhibits into the museum whenever possible. Danielle is heavily involved in the museum’s outreach efforts, attending events to promote the museum and sharing engaging materials that inform the public about local history and the museum’s activities. She has been a full-time employee at Glanmore for 11 years, having begun her career in an administrative role and assisting with managing the artifact collections. She has served as the Exhibit Development Coordinator since 2018.
Glanmore National Historic Site, designated in 1969, is a notable example of Second Empire architecture in Canada. Owned by three generations of family beginning with John and Harriet Phillips from 1883 until 1971, it was both a private residence and a community gathering place. Their adopted daughter, Jessie Patterson, inherited the home and later, her daughter Philippa Faulkner sold it for conversion into a museum, supported by federal funding. Originally run by the Hastings County Historical Society, it has been operated by the City of Belleville since 1999 and is the only municipally-owned museum in the area, focused on preserving local history and culture.
Sign Languages of Canada Travelling Exhibit
Glanmore has been hosting travelling exhibits for decades, covering topics from natural history and ancient Egypt to Inuit culture and the significance of tattoos as cultural art. The current “Sign Languages in Canada” exhibit is here from the Canadian Language Museum, an organization based on the York University Glendon Campus.
The Canadian Language Museum offers several rentable exhibits suitable for Glanmore. Last year, they hosted “Tapestry of Voices,” highlighting Canada’s diverse languages. This year, the exhibit “Sign Languages of Canada” will showcase the various forms of sign language used in the country.
The exhibit highlights the diversity of seven primary sign languages in Canada: American Sign Language, Langue des signes Québécoise, Plains Indigenous Sign Language, Inuit Sign Language, Maritime Sign Language, and Oneida Sign Language. It traces the origins of sign language to France and notes its development in North America, revealing connections between European and North American sign languages. Notably, a new sign language is emerging in the Oneida Nation in Southern Ontario, expanding the sign language dictionary.
The motivation behind bringing “Sign Languages of Canada” to Glanmore was to highlight the diversity of sign languages across Canada, and tie into the important community legacy Belleville has with deaf education, since Sir James Whitney School for the Deaf was the first institution established in Ontario dedicated to deaf education.
What's on this summer
Glanmore has five upcoming events this summer, including a special presentation at Belleville Public Library on June 26, Family Games in the Garden on July 13, Play Time: Toys and Amusements from the past on July 21 and Aug 18, and Doors Open Belleville on Sept 13. More information will be available on glanmore.ca. They have moved out of their fall and winter hours and will be open longer for June, July, and August. Danielle encourages people to come and visit the museum, where there will be various fun programs and activities throughout the year. There is a small admission fee; however, if you are on a tight budget, Museum Passes can be checked out at the Belleville Public Library for free!
When you arrive at the museum, you’ll find self-guided tours after a brief introduction from the staff, who are available for any questions you might have. The museum offers a fun scavenger hunt for kids and adults, with stickers awarded upon completion.
In the basement, there’s a craft area featuring Victorian toys and games. For June, they are hosting Pride Month crafts that explore the Victorian language of flowers, used to convey messages of emotional intimacy during a time of strict social norms. This method was particularly meaningful for queer communities, allowing them to express love while navigating cultural constraints. Don’t forget to check out the flower language colouring pages available throughout the month!
