17吃瓜

The following was originally announced by the .

For the first time ever, L.M. Montgomery鈥檚 famed Anne of Green Gables manuscript will be made widely accessible as the central feature of an upcoming online exhibition. Announced today, the ambitious new exhibition, Exploring a National Treasure: L.M. Montgomery鈥檚 Anne of Green Gables Manuscript, will be developed through a partnership between the Confederation Centre Art Gallery (CCAG), and the L.M. Montgomery Institute (LMMI) and the Robertson Library at the 17吃瓜 (17吃瓜).

Launching in 2022, Exploring a National Treasure is envisioned as a rich digital experience for readers and fans around the world, showcasing the writing of the famous novel in an unprecedented digital manner. The virtual exhibition will be curated by Montgomery scholar, Dr. Emily Woster. Dr. Elizabeth Epperly, founder of the LMMI, will be a consultant on the exhibition. The online project will be developed with an investment by the Virtual Museum of Canada. 

Key themes in the exhibition include Montgomery鈥檚 creativity, writing, and editing processes; the story of Anne and her origins in Cavendish, P.E.I., in the early 20th century; the novel鈥檚 international success; and creative adaptations of the Anne story.

Viewers will be invited to rediscover this famous literary work and its rich legacy. The exhibition will increase accessibility to the manuscript while the digital version will help preserve the original pen and ink on paper manuscript, acquired for the CCAG鈥檚 permanent collection in 1967.

鈥淚 have certainly observed Montgomery scholars visiting the Island to conduct research on the manuscripts here at the CCAG,鈥� shares Gallery Director Kevin Rice. 鈥淚 have also witnessed international visitors being mesmerized at seeing the handwritten Anne manuscript on exhibition. This upcoming new virtual exhibition is an opportunity to make this rare artifact widely accessible to readers and scholars.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 a very exciting opportunity to create this exhibition, and we are extremely appreciative of the investment in this project by the Virtual Museum of Canada,鈥� Rice continues, adding that the CCAG is pleased to be collaborating with the Robertson Library and the LMMI on this initiative, which speaks to the organizations鈥� shared mandate to preserve works of cultural value and foster educational outreach.

鈥淭he LMMI exists to promote research into, and informed celebration of, Montgomery鈥檚 life and works, and so we could not be more excited about partnering in this project,鈥� offers Dr. Philip Smith, chair of the LMMI Management Committee. 鈥淢aking the handwritten manuscript of Montgomery鈥檚 most famous novel鈥攃omplete with editing marks and strike-throughs鈥攁vailable for scholars and fans across the world will generate new understanding and appreciation of the book and author. Added features, such as a 360-degree animation of the Macneill Homestead鈥檚 kitchen in Cavendish, where the novel was written, will enrich our connection with Montgomery鈥檚 beloved home, her community, and her times.鈥�

鈥淎 leader in digitization and a steward of physical and digital collections by and about Montgomery, the Robertson Library at 17吃瓜 welcomes the opportunity to partner with the CCAG and the LMMI on this project,鈥� remarks University Librarian Donald Moses. 鈥淏y digitizing Montgomery鈥檚 original manuscript for Anne of Green Gables, we will be able to display, navigate, and visualize the novel and the writer鈥檚 creative process in new ways. Through interactive experiences, Canadians and the international Montgomery community will be reintroduced to this literary treasure.鈥�

Visitors to the bilingual exhibition, Exploring a National Treasure, will have digital access to all 853 pages of the manuscript, including the interesting material鈥攏otes and short snippets of work鈥攖hat exists on the backs of pages. With the manuscript as the exhibition鈥檚 central pillar, visitors, whether new to Montgomery鈥檚 works or researchers familiar with the author, will be able to engage with new research, watch animations and videos of places and moments vital to the book, and hear expert commentary and dramatic retellings of Anne鈥檚 important place in Canadian history.

For information on current exhibitions on display at the CCAG, please visit .

Note about the funding program: The Virtual Museum of Canada (VMC) is an investment program that helps build digital capacity in Canadian museums and heritage organizations and gives Canadians unique access to diverse stories and experiences. The VMC is managed by , with the financial support of the Government of Canada.