Copper light by Chance Brothers Co. Limited
Minding the Light: The Gentle Island’s Dangerous Coastline
Copper light by Chance Brothers Co. Limited
Objects ranging from maps and charts to range lights and storm signals, recall the history of navigation in Prince Edward Island. The exhibition is organized by the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation and curated by Boyde Beck.
No matter what the season, water travel is part of Prince Edward Island’s way of life. Accurate maps and charts were vital to its early development. Iceboats once made it unique in the eyes of the outside world. Icebreakers were part of the travel routine for almost a century. Lighthouses have become an iconic part of the landscape. The seas off Prince Edward Island can be dangerous, the ice unstable. Lighthouses, signal masts, and even saplings stuck in a frozen harbor are some of the ways we’ve tried to make them safer. Minding the Light explores how we’ve coped with the sometimes treacherous waters that surround the gentle Island.