The Walter Massey Collection and the Invention of Biblical Archaeology in Canada

When the ROM opened its doors in March of 1914, one of the most publicized galleries housed the “Walter Massey Biblical Collection.” But over the last hundred years or so, most of these objects were moved to collections storage and the original intentions for the collection have been forgotten. It is increasingly important in today’s museological climate to remember the history of collections; to understand how and why objects were dislocated from their original communities to far-away galleries and storerooms, and to confront the fragmented record of that movement. Drawing on extensive archival research, this project is telling new stories about the formation of the ROM itself and the important place occupied by the Walter Massey Collection. It documents how Charles Currelly partnered with Toronto philanthropists, the Masseys, to bring everyday objects excavated from Egypt and Palestine to Toronto in order to illustrate the world of the Bible for the Canadian public. By recovering the forgotten evidence for the assembly of the Massey Collection, this project is contributing to ROM’s efforts to increase transparency of the history of its collections.