A Look Back at the McMichael Collection’s Official Opening on July 8, 1966

A Look Back at the McMichael Collection’s Official Opening on July 8, 1966

Photo Essay by Linda Morita

The official opening ceremony of the McMichael Conservation Collection of Art (as it was originally called) celebrated the unprecedented gift by Signe and Robert McMichael. The milestone also served to honour the artists and collectors who had supported the McMichaels in realizing their dream of creating a public gallery dedicated to the Group of Seven.

On a sunny summer afternoon, July 8, 1966, more than 200 invited guests gathered in an outdoor ceremony, at which A.Y. Jackson unveiled his beloved painting, First Snow, Algoma, which was donated by Mr. Percy Hilborn to commemorate the occasion. The Honourable James Auld, Minister of Tourism and Culture, presented the opening remarks on behalf of, John P. Robarts, the Premier of Ontario.

The opening was a gathering of friends and supporters, including artists (such as A.Y. Jackson, A.J. Casson, F.H. Varley, Yvonne Housser, Thoreau MacDonald, Florence Wyle, Frances Loring and Carl Schaefer) and donors (Robert Laidlaw, Norah de Pencier, Margaret Tweedale and Percy Hilborn, to name a few), as well as many other special guests.

When the McMichael Conservation Collection of Art officially opened in 1966, the story of Robert and Signe McMichael’s donation of art, their home and land had already made headlines in 1965 when the Gift Agreement was signed. News of the formal public opening was covered by national and local media, as well as the international press.

While the McMichaels were already welcoming school groups by appointment and visitors to their home to see the paintings, it was now officially “public.” Signe and Robert would continue to live at the gallery as unpaid curators-in-residence, and their home and collection would be freely open to the public every Sunday afternoon. The founders often welcomed several hundred visitors on Sundays, and were always available to meet the public, give tours and answer questions.

Photograph in black and white of a man and woman standing beside a painting of a landscape in an impressionistic style. The woman is holding a bouquet of roses and wearing a patterned dress and a hat. The man is wearing a suit and tie. There is a curtain pulled aside to the left of the painting.
Colour photograph of three men and one woman standing in front of a landscape painting in an impressionistic style. Two of the men are shaking hands. The woman is wearing a dress and hat and holding a bouquet of yellow roses. The men are wearing suits and two of them are looking behind them at the painting.
Black and white photograph of a people sitting in chairs on a lawn. There is a platform with people seated in chairs on the left side of the photograph. There are trees in the background.
Photograph in black and white of three men and one woman sitting down. They are all smiling. There are many empty chairs behind them and a group of people standing and sitting in the background.
Image of the cover of the programme of the official opening of the McMIchael Canadian Art Collection. Image of log and stone building with trees at each side. The cover is blue with black printing.
Image in black and white of invitation to 1966 official opening of McMichael Canadian Art Collection . It is personalized to Mr. McMichael.