Everything in its Place:

Useful and Beautiful Objects from the Collection of Dalnavert Museum

In 1880, author and designer William Morris shared some memorable advice about how to decorate a middle-class home. Morris proposed, “If you want a golden rule that will fit everything, this is it: Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.”

Welcome to the “Everything In Its Place” digital extension, a collection of short essays exploring the place of useful and beautiful objects in nineteenth-century middle-class homes. These essays were authored by thirteen University of Manitoba students, the co-curators of a Spring 2023 exhibition held at Dalnavert Museum and Visitors’ Centre.

To read essays authored by these co-curators, click on the images below. As you will discover, they share fascinating histories of objects that are both everyday and extravagant, familiar and peculiar.

Coffee Pot

by Frances Lamont

A small metal gong that is hung from a stand made of two animal horns

Dinner Gong

by Ilianna Hoople

Beaded Purse

by Ariella Gunn

A small white dog meant to be played with as a toy

Toy Dog

by Alison Holliday

A large china platter with a blue design featuring a rectangular ox

Ox Platter

by Sam McDonald

Nerve Food

by Cailly Wiebe

Stereoscope

by Virginia Page Jähne

Tussy Mussy

by Shelby Steele

Sewing Kit

by Lakshmisree Shaji Marar

Chamber Pot

by Sean Hetherington

Mrs. Beeton’s

by Kaitlyn Gonçalves

Punch Bowl

by Sakshi Tyagi

A framed image that says "Prepare to meet thy God."

Wall Plaque

by Meghann Robern

The group of co-curators of the Everything In Its Place exhibit sitting on the front steps of Dalnavert Museum

The Co-Curators

View the Exhibit

Everything in Its Place exhibition — Image Description: A photograph of the Everything In Its Place exhibition in Dalnavert Musuem’s Visitors’ Centre. The exhibition takes place over six display cases set in a wall. The rightmost display case has a sign that describes the exhibit. From right to left after the first case, the cases have the following themes on signs: Body & Soul, Fetching, Gathering, Feminine Ideals, and Hearth & Home. The Body & Soul case contains a wall plaque, a chamber pot, and nerve food. The Fetching display case has a toy dog and a stereoscope. The Gathering display case has a punch bowl and a dinner gong. The Feminine Ideals display case has a beaded purse, a tussy mussy, and a sewing kit. The Hearth & Home display case contains a coffee pot, the ox platter, and a cookbook.

Both the “Everything In Its Place” Exhibition and this Digital Extension were created by University of Manitoba students with the support of Dr. Vanessa Warne (University of Manitoba). Thanks go to the Staff of Dalnavert Museum and Visitors’ Centre for the opportunity to work with and learn from the Museum’s collection. Special thanks go to both Collections Registrar Inés Bonacossa, who supported this project with her time and expertise, and staff member Samantha Machado, who designed this digital extension and uploaded its content.