Some of the most tender moments in human history have happened in the presence of death.

Never Alone / Jamais seuls explores how care for the dying and the dead has changed across generations. Once provided at home—often by women, with neighbours keeping watch and a local cabinetmaker supplying a coffin—this work gradually expanded into the services offered by dedicated funeral homes.

Presented by James Reid Funeral Home, the exhibition brings together historic objects from its collection and archival images to explore that evolution. A family-operated business serving Kingston since 1854, James Reid Funeral Home connects this wider history with the experiences of our local community.

The exhibition also considers how changing traditions, technologies, beliefs and conversations about death continue to reshape how we care for one another at the end of life.