Well if you're a fan of the British period drama series, Downton Abbey, the Spadina Museum in Toronto has a tour especially for you. The Spadina House is a historic mansion that was owned by the Austin family who were a part of the Consumer Gas Company and were also involved in the early years of the Dominion Bank (later TD Bank). The house has has been restored to exactly what it looked like in the 1920's and is considered to be Toronto's own Downton Abbey.
This past Mother's Day I got to visit the museum and went on the special Downton Abbey tour. The tour is designed so you can imagine yourself in a world very similar to that of the aristocratic Crawley family. As you walk through the 55 room mansion (I know.. not as colossal as Downton but still impressive), the tour guide makes reference to similar rooms and settings as seen in the show, reflecting how the lives of these two families, having gone through the same events in history, would have been similarly affected. The only difference would be that it is a piece of history that was actually endured by the Austin family.
These are pictures I took to give you a little peek of this magnificent house...
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| Staircase |
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| Great Hall |
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| Drawing Room |
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| Dining Room |
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| Bedroom |
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| Servants' Quarters (Bedroom) |
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| Kitchen |
There are many other rooms in the house to enjoy.. but it's much better to see the all the details of the fixtures, furnishings and decor in person. Oh, and I must not forget to mention the lovely gardens outside! Why not take the tour this weekend? It would be a perfect time to go in honour of Victoria Day!
You can find the museum on facebook. For tour information, click here.
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