Discover Historic Downtown Brampton This Winter

Discover Historic Downtown Brampton This Winter

Peel Art Gallery, Museum + Archives: fun for the whole family, good for mental health, and don’t tell the kids, but it's even educational

Did you know that doctors have discovered a unique way to boost mental health during challenging times? In response to the stress brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, doctors in Brussels and other places, such as Montréal, have been prescribing visits to art galleries and museums as a form of therapy. Forbes Magazine highlighted this intriguing approach to mental well-being in 2021, and it has been gaining popularity ever since. Visiting an art gallery or museum isn't just an escape from reality; it's a step towards improving your mental health and well-being—who knew?

Peel Art Gallery, Museum + Archives (PAMA), located in the historic downtown of Brampton, has embraced this notion wholeheartedly. Take a staycation adventure and visit their many exciting exhibitions— it’s good for your health! PAMA’s unique state-of-the-art facility is one of only a few in Canada that houses an art gallery, museum

and archives under one roof. The PAMA complex consists of four historic buildings, some dating back to 1867. This winter, explore their new exhibit, Beyond the Clouds and the Stars: Innovation in Aerospace. Visitors to this exhibition will be surprised to hear about the impacts of companies in the Peel region on international space exploration. From early innovations like the

Avro Arrow to the Canadarm and ongoing missions. Join PAMA for their annual FREE Family Day Celebration on Monday, February 19, for exciting activities all about Space! Also, don’t miss their entire week of exciting March Break programming, where you will learn about all the fun and engaging exhibitions, participate in a new creative activity daily and enjoy special guests!

They also encourage visitors to discover the many current exhibitions, including In Her Garden, a two-in-one exhibition of immersive art installations by Toronto-based artist Amanda McCavour and Montréal-based artist Jannick Deslauriers. Also, don’t miss The Red Chair Sessions an ongoing open-call portraiture series by Toronto’s Photo Laureate Nadya Kwandibens. Her exhibit

emphasizes the acknowledgement and reclamation of Indigenous lands and the revitalization of Indigenous languages. Another highlight exhibition is Yours to Discover: Sights/Sites of Peel Region, a new permanent exhibition showcasing landscapes from PAMA’s art collection that spans over 100 years. And that’s not even all that PAMA has to offer! Accessibility is also essential to PAMA. Not only are they a fully accessible facility, but parking is free in all downtown Brampton lots. As a bonus, admission to PAMA is affordable at just $10 for a family of two adults and up to five kids, $4 for adults, and $3 for seniors and students. If that is still a barrier, they offer free passes at any library in Brampton, Mississauga, and Caledon for sign-out with your library card. Visit pama.peelregion.ca , follow them on social @visitpama to learn more, or visit them onsite at 9 Wellington Street East in downtown Brampton.