Featured Exhibition
Films from the Freezer: Preserving F.L. Roy's Cinematic Legacy
On display from September 19 to November 1, 2026
The Peterborough Museum & Archives is pleased to present Films from the Freezer: Preserving F.L. Roy's Cinematic Legacy, a new exhibition celebrating the remarkable work of local filmmaker Frederick Lewis Roy (1881–1950) and the extraordinary conservation effort that rescued his films from the brink of destruction.
Opening in September and on display through November, the exhibition showcases a collection of forty-six 16mm film reels created by Roy beginning in 1926. Nearly lost after the 2004 Peterborough flood, the films have now been painstakingly preserved, digitized, and restored through a collaborative project between the Peterborough Museum & Archives and Toronto Metropolitan University. Visitors are invited to discover the story of Roy's filmmaking career, explore the process of film preservation, and experience these remarkable films as they were always intended to be seen.
About the Exhibition
For three generations, the Roy family operated the iconic Roy Studio in Peterborough, leaving a lasting photographic legacy in the community. While the studio's photography has long been celebrated, Frederick Lewis Roy's filmmaking remained largely forgotten for nearly a century.
Following the devastating 2004 Peterborough flood, Roy's collection of forty-six 16mm film reels suffered exposure to water, mold, and harmful bacteria. To prevent further deterioration, the films were frozen upon their arrival at the Peterborough Museum & Archives, where they remained in cold storage for 21 years.
In 2025, a preservation project led by Bo Pickett, a student in Toronto Metropolitan University's Film + Photography Preservation and Collection Management graduate program, developed a specialized process to safely thaw, disinfect, clean, dry, and rehouse the collection using custom-built equipment and archival materials. Supervised by PMA staff Jon Oldham and Owen Thompson, the project successfully recovered approximately 99.5% of the surviving footage, despite permanent damage to portions of the collection caused by colour fading and emulsion loss.
Building on that work, the Peterborough Museum & Archives partnered with Toronto Metropolitan University to digitize and digitally restore the films. The exhibition presents both restored and unrestored footage, highlighting not only Roy's artistic achievements but also the innovative preservation work that ensured these films could be shared with future generations.
As part of the exhibition, a special gala screening will take place on October 8 at Market Hall, where a curated selection of F.L. Roy's films will be presented with live musical accompaniment. Together, the exhibition and screening invite visitors to learn about film preservation, explore the history of amateur filmmaking in Peterborough, and enjoy the films just as F.L. Roy intended.
Plan Your Visit
Exhibit Dates: September 19, 2026 – November 1, 2026
Admission: Suggested donation of $10 per family / small group
We invite members of the public to visit the Museum and explore
Land acknowledgement
We respectfully acknowledge that the Peterborough Museum & Archives is located on the Treaty 20 Michi Saagiig territory and in the traditional territory of the Michi Saagiig and Chippewa Nations, collectively known as the Williams Treaty First Nations, which include Curve Lake, Hiawatha, Alderville, Scugog Island, Rama, Beausoleil, and Georgina Island First Nations.
The Peterborough Museum & Archives respectfully acknowledges that the Williams Treaties First Nations are the stewards and caretakers of these lands and waters in perpetuity, and that they continue to maintain this responsibility to ensure their health and integrity for generations to come.