The final harvest Manitoba Museum dismantling popular diorama

One of Manitoba Museum’s most popular dioramas — the Delta Marsh and Rye Farm — is being dismantled after a quarter century of entertaining visitors.

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One of Manitoba Museum’s most popular dioramas — the Delta Marsh and Rye Farm — is being dismantled after a quarter century of entertaining visitors.

A number of factors — from pests to wear and tear, and the difficulty in keeping pace with ongoing maintenance — led museum staff to make the difficult decision.

The Rye Farm, set in Stuartburn, depicts a Ukrainian immigrant family harvesting a rye crop by sickle and hand in the 1920s. The Delta Marsh illustrates Manitoba’s world-renowned wetland that is a migratory layover for thousands of birds.

Andrea and Courtland Lavallee came to the museum to take one last look at the diorama before it was completely removed.  (Mike Deal / Free Press)

Andrea and Courtland Lavallee came to the museum to take one last look at the diorama before it was completely removed. (Mike Deal / Free Press)

The diorama was unveiled to the public in 2003, a cumulation of thousands of hours of planning and construction that began in the mid-1990s by the museum’s diorama artist, curators, operations staff and volunteers.

The museum hopes to retain as many elements from the diorama as possible for a future exhibit.

(Mike Deal / Free Press)
(Mike Deal / Free Press)
(Mike Deal / Free Press)
(Mike Deal / Free Press)
(Mike Deal / Free Press)
(Mike Deal / Free Press)
(Mike Deal / Free Press)
(Mike Deal / Free Press)
(Mike Deal / Free Press)
(Mike Deal / Free Press)
(Mike Deal / Free Press)
(Mike Deal / Free Press)
(Mike Deal / Free Press)
(Mike Deal / Free Press)
(Mike Deal / Free Press)
(Mike Deal / Free Press)
(Mike Deal / Free Press)
(Mike Deal / Free Press)
(Mike Deal / Free Press)
(Mike Deal / Free Press)
(Mike Deal / Free Press)
(Mike Deal / Free Press)
Mike Deal

Mike Deal
Photojournalist

Mike Deal started freelancing for the Winnipeg Free Press in 1997. Three years later, he landed a part-time job as a night photo desk editor.

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