How can a museum volunteer change the way we view the world? This National Volunteer Week, we invite you to meet Rebecca Beayni, a volunteer in the Hands-on Biodiversity & Discovery Galleries, who was recognized for her contribution to the museum at the 2014 Ontario Volunteer Service Awards.

After one of her shifts at the Hands-on Biodiversity Gallery, ROM volunteer Helen Hatton said to her husband, “Honey, do you want to hear about the sex life of hissing cockroaches?” Her husband, whom Helen describes as “a delightful retired geek,” calmly replied, “Let’s have a drink first.”

He later observed that Helen and her colleagues at the ROM were all “a bit around the bend.” “He’s right,” Helen admits. “And that’s what I love!”

Hermatite

By: Ian Nicklin

Hematite is a common ore of iron that was extensively mined in northern England in the 19th century. The miners referrred to globular aggregates of hematite, such as this, as "kidney-ore" since it reminded them of the organ. We call this shape "reniform," which means the same thing: kidney-shaped.

We sat down with CBC's Matt Galloway to find out exactly what keeps bringing him back to the ROM

By: Douglas Thomson

Q: Do you visit the museum often? 

A: Yes, I have a couple of young kids. We come on a fairly regular basis. Sometimes if there’s a special event, but also sometimes we come just to wander around. It’s a great place to explore—one of the places we go to just spend time in the city. That’s a
big thing for our family, to be out and about in Toronto as much as we can.