Deduce the truth with ROM curators at Fact? or Fiction?

Museum’s annual fundraiser - the best game-show not on television!

Fact? or Fiction?, the highly successful annual fundraising game organized by the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) Governors, returns for a 12th successive year on Thursday, October 16, 2008. Hosted by the New 97.3FM EZ Rock Morning Show’s Humble Howard Glassman, Colleen Rusholme and Kim Stockwood, the event begins at 7 pm on the main floor of the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal and includes a delicious “100-mile” gourmet buffet dinner, featuring menu items grown within 100 miles (161 km) of Toronto. The night of mystery, deception and intrigue is expected to attract 400 guests.

Scorecard in hand, Fact? or Fiction? participants venture to determine the true identity or purpose of 20 mysterious objects from the ROM’s vast collections, based on two plausible descriptions given by Museum curators. In an attempt to deduce the truth, participants are encouraged to ask deceptive curators any question concerning the legitimacy of the description, and choose which explanation is fact. At 9 pm, the winners are revealed and the Grand Prize of an 8-day tour of Singapore and Bangkok, courtesy of Tour East Holidays and Cathay Pacific Airways, is awarded.

All proceeds from Fact? or Fiction? support the ROM Research Endowment Fund. The annual event is the primary means of support for ROM curatorial research. The ROM is the largest field research museum in Canada with staff conducting research here and internationally in more than 30 countries. This research addresses numerous areas of study in both Natural History and World Cultures, elements of the ROM’s dual mandate. Last year, Fact? or Fiction? raised over $75,000 for this work. Tickets to this renowned event with fantastic food and beverages are $250 each, with partial tax receipts available to individuals as per CRA guidelines, and may be purchased online at www.rom.on.ca/factorfiction. For additional information, please contact Kirsten Kamper at 416.586.8064 or kirstenk@rom.on.ca.

The Fact? or Fiction? Organizing Committee includes Lesley Belows, Peter Carruthers, Suzie Lewis, Jennifer F. Longhurst, Linda Montgomery, Jeffrey Musson, Elisabeth Patrick, Sandie Orlando, Ric Randmaa, Elizabeth Schad and Jillian Swartz. Committee Chairman is Robert Pierce.

To view last year’s event, hosted by Humble Howard Glassman, visit ecommunications.rom.on.ca/media/podcasts/display.php?id=66