Written By Alan Good

TRAVEL - A short drive (depending on where you live) will take you to downtown London and the Forks of the Thames where Museum London awaits boasting art, videos, and historical displays. It is a nice way to spend an hour or two on a cold day.
The lower level holds artifacts about London and area from farm implements to weaponry, clothes, plus other displays. A wooden waterpipe is displayed—yes wood—which was used in the early 1900’s to carry water to homes. Can you say, “Water leak”.
Another exhibit shows the first WW1 German machine gun as well as bayonets and swords from that war and others. A commemorative shovel used to break ground in 1984 for CFPL-TV’s expansion, giving the station a 50,000 square foot building, can be viewed. The local college and Western University display has artifacts from Westervelt and other local learning centers.
The top floor is large and features paintings and other artwork. You can sit and view huge videos, such as one of ocean waves breaking against a rocky shore. Occasionally there are people on hand to walk guests through the venue and explain things, but the museum has lots of captions under displays to describe them.
In fact, the gallery boasts of 50,000 artifacts—300 for London alone—and 5,500 works of art. Due to the size of the building, the displays and art are rotated throughout the year.
On the main floor is a gift shop offering items from cups to cards and puzzles to plates. Museum London local and it’s about local, so take a look sometime. It’s free but donations are welcome.