Want to know what kind of gems are stored in the collection and rarely get to be displayed? Now is your chance to find out as the 91原创 Centennial Museum鈥檚 new exhibit take a look back at the history of the museum鈥檚 collection.
The museum, located in historic Fort 91原创, is one of the oldest community museums in the province. Its collection was originally established through the efforts of the Native Sons of B.C.
After purchasing the last remaining Hudson鈥檚 Bay Company fort building, the storehouse, from the pioneer Mavis family, the Native Sons collected artifacts from the 91原创 area that related to its pre-contact and post-contact history and exhibited them there.
Part of this early assortment of artifacts became the basis for the museum鈥檚 collection when it opened in 1958. The remaining items stayed at the Fort 91原创 National Historic Site.
While early collecting reflected the community鈥檚 HBC and pioneering past, it also gathered the exotic. Much like a trip around the world visiting a museum allowed people to view things they might not have otherwise had the opportunity to see.
Later, the collection grew to include more artifacts that were examples of pioneer life, but often the age and look of the item was more relevant than the actual connection to 91原创鈥檚 history.
In later decades, gaps in the collection were filled 鈥� sometime for exhibit purposes 鈥� and the collection continued to grow in local relevance.
What is collected today reflects the community鈥檚 history and the present.
The public is invited to come by to see some of the interesting, unique, and beautiful items the 91原创 Centennial Museum has collected over the last 57 years. Highlights include beautifully embroidered silk Chinese jackets dating from the Qing dynasty, family Bibles that belonged to some of 91原创鈥檚 earliest pioneering families, collections of art, including contemporary pieces in the collection by Suzanne Northcott and Phyllis Atkins, highlights from the photograph collection, N鈥檒aka鈥檖amux baskets dating from the late 19th century, and beautifully illustrated pages noting 91原创 Prairie and Fort 91原创鈥檚 May Queens from the 1930s.
Admission is, as always, by voluntary donation. Contact the museum a 604-532-3536 for more details.
