About
The Bideford Parsonage Museum is a must-visit destination for enthusiasts of LM Montgomery and history lovers.
The historic residence of PEI’s most famed author during her first teaching assignment on the Island in 1894-95, has been carefully restored to accurately reflect life in a rural homestead during the late 19th century.
Venture off the beaten path and you’ll be amply rewarded. Our little gem of a museum offers much more than a cursory glimpse into the world of Montgomery and her most famous heroine, Anne of Green Gables. Rather, you’re invited to discover the author’s full volume of written works and her life beyond the fictional stories she penned.
Enjoy a tour of the parsonage with an informative guide. Take in a reading session. Savour an in-season strawberry social. And take time to peruse our ever-growing collection of artifacts from the era that Montgomery lived in Bideford.
You’ll also gain insight into the important role shipbuilding played in the local economy and see the architectural features that set the parsonage apart from many rural homesteads of the era.
The parsonage was, indeed, LM Montgomery’s window into rural Island life as a young woman. Now it’s your turn to gaze through that very same window and see the world as she did.
Our History
The Bideford Parsonage Museum has been a labour of love for over 20 years. The museum’s grand opening in July 2000 marked the culmination of countless hours (years, really) and great efforts by a group of local community members.
Intent on saving the Bideford house and preserving its historic significance, these dedicated volunteers worked tirelessly to establish the West Country Historical Society. The purpose of this non-profit charitable organization was singular: to ensure the ongoing operation and protection of the Bideford parsonage and its legacy. The Society’s founders were also instrumental in ensuring that the province of PEI designated the property as a historic site.
Since then, the museum has been managed exclusively by dedicated, knowledgeable volunteers with a passion for sharing the life and extensive literary contributions of LM Montgomery.
Each summer, we warmly welcome visitors from around the world to gaze through the very same window that Montgomery did back in 1894-95 and see rural Island life as she did. Now it’s your turn.
Our volunteers and summer staff look forward to showing you the museum’s ever-growing collection of artifacts. They’ll also share intriguing insights into the history of the parsonage, the area, and, of course, Montgomery’s life and written works.
Our Very Important People
Many heads, hands, and hearts have been instrumental in bringing the Bideford Parsonage Museum into reality and carrying on its legacy over the past two decades.
We are grateful to each and every person that has generously shared their time, knowledge, passion, and resources to this important historic site.
There are three people in particular that we wish to recognize for their outstanding contributions. Without them, the Bideford Parsonage Museum would very likely not exist.
Wayne and Janice Trowsdale
The Trowsdales have been a part of the Bideford story from conception to inception and all the years that have followed. It is no exaggeration to say that without the dedication and perseverance of Janice and Wayne, Bideford Parsonage Museum may never have opened its doors to the public.
Longstanding members of the community and champions of the region’s history and culture, they worked tirelessly alongside fellow volunteers to secure the initial funding needed to establish the museum. Founding members of the West County Historical Society, they were heavily involved in every aspect of the museum’s creation and curation prior to opening to the public.
In the years since the museum first opened its doors, the Trowsdales continued to give generously of their time, knowledge, and passion. Leaders in every sense of the word, Janice and Wayne were integral to halting a plan that would have seen the museum taken apart and moved to central PEI in the late 1990s. Through the commitment of the Trowsdales and several other dedicated museum volunteers, Bideford Parsonage Museum received a heritage designation.
Janice and Wayne were recognized as Volunteers of the Year at the annual Island Heritage Awards in 2016 for their incredible contributions to the museum and community. The couple was also recognized with Governor General’s Caring Canadian Award in 2014 for their leadership and involvement in many community endeavours, including their work with the Bideford Parsonage Museum.
Shelly Campbell
From the very first days of its life as a museum, Shelly Campbell has generously given her time, passion, and talents to Bideford Parsonage.
Serving as the museum’s part-time curator and special events decorator in a volunteer capacity for almost 20 years, Shelly did everything that needed doing. From sewing curtains to restoring the house before it first opened, decorating for fundraising events, donating items for sale in the museum shop, and so much more, she found a multitude of ways to elevate the guest experience and keep the wheels of the museum moving forward.
Shelly’s unbridled enthusiasm, deep dedication, and seemingly endless talents have been integral to the museum’s operation and growth over the past two decades.
In February 2022, Shelly was awarded Volunteer of the Year by the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation for her significant contributions to the Bideford Parsonage Museum. Today, she continues to give generously to the museum of her time and resources.