Manitoba Museum

Posted on: Wednesday September 10, 2025

Treaty No. 4 Territory – Piapot First Nation, Saskatchewan – Sept. 10, 2025 – The Manitoba Museum recently completed its largest repatriation to date, with the return of 19 belongings to Piapot First Nation in Saskatchewan, which coincided with the 150th anniversary of the signing of Treaty 4.

The 19 belongings include ceremonial pipes, a drum, an eagle fan, medicine pouches, as well as gifts that Chief Piapot gave as thanks to the minister who conducted his daughter’s marriage ceremony. These came into the Museum’s care through three separate donors, two of whom donated to previous collections/museums that later became part of the Manitoba Museum.

“The return of Chief Piapot’s belongings is very important. The different sacred belongings that he has – the pipes, the leggings, the shirts – all of that brings honour back to our people. When our people see the belongings, they’re proud, they’re honoured, they’re emotional. It’s a great thing. We want to give thanks to the Manitoba Museum for working closely with us, KNT IRS Consulting (Kā-natonahkik-tāpwēwin) in repatriating all of Chief Piapot’s belongings to our nation. It’s going to carry our nation for another hundreds and hundreds of years to come and we give thanks to all who have supported us, here today on the 150th commemoration.” – Chief Mark Fox of the Piapot First Nation

The Manitoba Museum recognizes repatriation as an important institutional responsibility. Repatriation is more than returning objects to communities. It is in support of revitalizing Indigenous self-identity, spirituality and ceremony, languages, art, sovereignty, laws and governance.

“It was such an honour to work with Barb Lavallee from Piapot First Nation on this repatriation, ensuring that we followed the guidance and protocols from the Elders and spiritual leaders and aligned them with the Museum’s policies and procedures. I view repatriation as a very collaborative process, and I’m so grateful for the dedication from Barb and Nadine to finalize this significant repatriation.” – Dr. Amelia Fay, Curator of Anthropology and the HBC Collection at Manitoba Museum

The Manitoba Museum’s repatriation policy was first put in place in 2007. This policy has been continually updated and revised, most recently considering the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC) Calls to Action, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), and through discussions with the Indigenous Advisory Circle to the Museum.

“We’re honoured and humbled to have been witness to today’s important commemoration with the Piapot First Nation. We hope that the repatriation of Chief Piapot’s belongings to his community will bring present and future generations renewed strength and hope.” – Dorota Blumczyńska, CEO of Manitoba Museum

We welcome all requests for repatriation and approach this work as part of a community-led practice, where we integrate community values and needs throughout the process.

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To honour this important repatriation and to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the signing of Treaty 4, representatives from the Manitoba Museum, including CEO Dorota Blumczyńska, Curator of Anthropology and the HBC Collection Amelia Fay, and Museum Advisor for Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation Tabitha Harper, travelled to Piapot First Nation on September 9 to participate in the community’s celebration.

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For further information, please contact:

Brandi Hayberg
Manager of Marketing & Communications
Manitoba Museum
BHayberg@ManitobaMuseum.ca | 204-988-0614

September brings the official beginning of fall in the northern hemisphere, the beginning of school for most students, and an end to summer vacation for many. It’s also one of the best months to stargaze, with cooler temperatures and earlier sunsets bringing the dark that much sooner.

The Solar System for September 2025

Mercury is not visible this month as it passes around the far side of the Sun.

Venus rises about 4 a.m. in early September, but dips lower into the Sun’s glare as the month goes on. On the morning of the 19th the thin crescent moon passes very close, a striking pre-dawn sight worth getting up for. By month’s end it is still low in the east before sunrise.

Mars is too close to the Sun (as seen from Earth) to be visible this month.

Jupiter rises about 2 a.m. in the east on September 1st, shining to the right of the twin stars Castor and Pollux. Jupiter is just beginning its season of visibility for 2025, and it will grow brighter and rise earlier as it approaches its opposition in January 2026.

Saturn rises about 9 p.m. in the east at the beginning of September. It is at opposition on September 21, which means it is opposite the Sun in our sky and thus visible all night. Saturn’s rings are only tilted by a couple of degrees relative to our line of sight, which means they appear very thin and edge-on. The situation gets worse throughout the year, as the rings will nearly disappear from our point of view. They’re still there, but they are so thin that it’s like looking at the edge of a piece of paper. On the plus side, for those with large telescopes, we will be able to see some of Saturn’s moons cast their shadow on the planet as they orbit. Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, casts its shadow on the planet on the nights of September 3-4th and 19-20th this month. The waxing gibbous Moon is nearby on the morning of August 12 (see below).

Uranus is in the morning sky a few degrees below the famous Pleaides star cluster (also known as the Seven Sisters). It is too faint to easily see without binoculars, and even a telescope shows it as a faint dot that looks just like the other faint stars. A detailed star-charting app like Stellarium is required to track it down.

Neptune is in the same binocular field of view as Saturn for the entire month, but since it is even farther than Uranus it is invisible without optical aid. Neptune requires good binoculars or a small telescope to even spot, and a large telescope to make it out as anything more than a faint dot. Again, a detailed star chart like those produced by Stellarium is required to tell which tiny “dot” is Neptune.

Of the five known dwarf planets, only (1) Ceres is close enough to be seen in binoculars or a small telescope. In September, Ceres is approaching its brightest for the year on October 2, below and to the left of Saturn and Neptune. You should be able to spot it in binoculars as a faint “star” that slowly changes its position each night.

Sky Calendar for August 2025

All times are given in the local time for Manitoba: Central Daylight Time (UTC-5). However, most of these events are visible across Canada at the same local time without adjusting for time zones.

If there’s a little box to the left of the date, you can click on it to see a star map of that event! All images are created using Stellarium, the free planetarium software.

Wednesday, September 3, 2025: Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, casts its shadow on the planet’s cloudtops between 00:12 am CDT and 4:11 am CDT.

Sunday, September 7, 2025: The Full Moon rises to the right of Saturn this evening, and slowly approaches the ringed planet throughout the night. There is a lunar eclipse during this full moon, but the eclipse is not visible from North America.

Monday, September 8, 2025: The just-past full Moon rises to the left of Saturn this evening.

Saturday, September 13, 2025: Mercury reaches superior conjunction – passing around the far side of the Sun from our point of view on Earth.

Sunday, September 14, 2025: Last Quarter Moon

Tuesday, September 16, 2025 (morning sky): The crescent Moon is near Jupiter and the bright stars Castor and Pollux this morning.

Sunday, September 21, 2025: New Moon. Also today, the ringed planet Saturn reaches opposition, rising at sunset and being visible all night long.

Monday, September 29, 2025: First Quarter Moon

People stare up at the northern lights above them.

Summer Meteor Showers

Outside of the regular events listed above, there are other things we see in the sky that can’t always be predicted in advance.

Aurora borealis, the northern lights, are becoming a more common sight again as the Sun goes through the maximum of its 11-year cycle of activity. Particles from the Sun interact with the Earth’s magnetic field and the high upper atmosphere to create glowing curtains of light around the north (and south) magnetic poles of the planet. Manitoba is well-positioned relative to the north magnetic pole to see these displays often, but they still can’t be forecast very far in advance. A site like Space Weather can provide updates on solar activity and aurora forecasts for the next 48 hours. The best way to see the aurora is to spend a lot of time out under the stars, so that you are there when they occur.,

Random meteors (also known as falling or shooting stars) occur every clear night at the rate of about 5-10 per hour. Most people don’t see them because of light pollution from cities, or because they don’t watch the sky uninterrupted for an hour straight. They happen so quickly that a single glance down at your phone or exposure to light can make you miss one.

Satellites are becoming extremely common sights in the hours after sunset and before dawn. Appearing as a moving star that takes a few minutes to cross the sky, they appear seemingly out of nowhere. These range from the International Space Station and Chinese space station Tianhe, which have people living on them full-time, to remote sensing and spy satellites, to burnt-out rocket parts and dead satellites. These can be predicted in advance (or identified after the fact) using a site like Heavens Above by selecting your location.

Scott Young

Planetarium Astronomer

Scott is the Planetarium Astronomer at the Manitoba Museum, developing astronomy and science programs. He has been an informal science educator for more than thirty years, working in the planetarium and science centre field both at The Manitoba Museum and also at the Alice G. Wallace Planetarium in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. Scott is an active amateur astronomer and a past-President of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.

Manitoba Stories: In the Sky

Astronomy

Thursday September 4, 2025

The Manitoba Museum, a not-for-profit institution, is Manitoba’s largest heritage centre and number one paid tourist attraction with over 300,000 on-site visitors annually, including 80,000 students. We uniquely combine human and natural history themes, multidimensional interpretation, science, and astronomy education with quality school and community programs, special events and exhibits. We are pleased to announce a PERMANENT PART-TIME bilingual Science Communicator opportunity in our Learning & Engagement Division beginning in September 2025.

Reporting to the Manager of School and Public Programs, the Science Communicator delivers interpretive programs on themes related to the Science Gallery and Planetarium and assists in other public program events for the general public and organized groups. The incumbent must exercise initiative and independent judgment in working with the Museum’s various audiences while maintaining an energetic and lively approach. They must be able to work with minimal supervision and be available for weekend and evening work.

The successful candidate will have demonstrated knowledge of the general sciences and scientific principles, skills in public speaking and theatrical program delivery, as well as experience working with the public and children. Knowledge of astronomy is an asset. Fluency in both official languages (French/English) is required for this position. The detailed job description is below.

Applications will be accepted until September 10, 2025, or until the position is filled. Interested applicants may forward a résumé and cover letter to:

Manager of Volunteer & Employee Relations
The Manitoba Museum
190 Rupert Avenue
Winnipeg, MB R3B 0N2
Fax: (204) 942-3679
Email: HR@ManitobaMuseum.ca

The Manitoba Museum is committed to inclusion and employment equity and welcomes diversity in the workplace. The Manitoba Museum recognizes the importance of building a workforce reflective of the visitors it serves. Therefore, the Manitoba Museum supports equitable employment practices and promotes representation of designated groups (women, Indigenous people, persons with disabilities, visible minorities).

Employment Equity is a factor in selection for this position. Consideration will be given to Indigenous people, visible minorities, and persons with disabilities. All applicants are encouraged to self-identify if they are members of the designated groups (women, Indigenous people, persons with disabilities, visible minorities) in their application.

This document is available in other formats and accommodations will be provided throughout the selection process upon request. Contact Human Resources at 204-956-2830 if you have an accommodation request.

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those being considered for interviews will be contacted. We are not able to acknowledge receipt of applications submitted via Fax or mail.

Job Description:

Pay Group: 3

General

Typical Duties:

Deliver interpretive programs for the institution’s school and general public audience.
Learn pertinent information on departmental programs, permanent galleries, and temporary exhibits as required.
Perform Planetarium shows in the theatre including setting up technical equipment and all controls during performance of programs.
Assist in training and support of part-time staff and volunteers.
Perform all ongoing functions related to program operation including: setting up furniture, equipment, specimens, artifacts, and other materials; operating A/V equipment; storing program materials.
Handle program materials according to institution safety procedures.
Other duties as reasonably assigned.

Minimum Required Qualifications:

Skills, Abilities and Knowledge

Demonstrated skills in public speaking and program delivery.
Ability to communicate effectively including the talent to present programs and demonstrations efficiently and enthusiastically to a wide range of age and interest groups.
Capability to sense the dramatic nature of a presentation and respond to it appropriately during a performance.
Strong interpersonal skills including the ability to interact effectively with staff, volunteers, and the general public.
Knowledge of Physical and/or Astronomy Science.
Ability to perform basic research.
Ability to work in an organized manner, both independently and in a team environment.
Ability to work under pressure and to meet deadlines.
Fluency in both official languages is required.

Education, Training and Experience

Grade XII education, and
At least one year of experience working with and presenting to the public, or
Equivalent combination of education and experience.

This is a permanent part-time position commencing as soon as possible in September 2025. Fluency in both official languages is required. The incumbent will report to the Manager of School and Public Programs. The salary range is $19.58 to $24.78 per hour. Availability Tuesday to Friday, 10 am to 4 pm, weekend and occasional evening shifts is essential. Applications will be received until Wednesday, September 10, 2025, or until the position is filled.

Please submit your resume including cover letter to:

Manager of Volunteer & Employee Relations
The Manitoba Museum
190 Rupert Avenue
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 0N2
HR@ManitobaMuseum.ca

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those being considered for interviews will be contacted. We are not able to acknowledge receipt of applications submitted via Fax or mail.

Posted on: Friday August 8, 2025

By Amelia Fay, Curator of Anthropology and HBC Museum Collections

Summertime is when many folks travel to visit family and friends, or just to have a nice vacation away from their regular routine. If you’re like me, when planning a trip you make time to check out the local museums, but even when you travel far, you might still see some belongings, artifacts, or specimens from your Manitoba Museum. Like many museums, we have a robust loans program where our collection travels across Canada (and even internationally!) for community engagement, research, or to be featured in exhibitions at other museums.

From the collections I curate, Anthropology and HBC, some very significant belongings are currently on display in two exhibitions at the Museum of Anthropology (MOA) in Vancouver.

Helen Schooner’s (nee Housty) potlatch hat (HBC 57-1) and speaker’s staff (HBC 57-2-A).

Nuxalk community members interact with belongings from the HBC Museum Collection in the Nuxalk Strong exhibition.

A Nuu-chah-nulth thunderbird rattle from the HBC Museum Collection (HBC 995) on display in the In a Different Light exhibition.

In A Different Light: Reflecting on Northwest Coast Art includes two rattles made by Haida and Nuu-chah-nulth artists.

Nuxalk Strong: Dancing Down the Eyelashes of the Sun includes a potlatch hat that was on permanent display in the HBC Gallery and a speaker’s staff that belonged to Helen Housty, a prominent woman from the Heiltsuk Nation who married Staltmc Samson Schooner of the Nuxalk Nation.

I had the honour of attending the opening of the Nuxalk Strong exhibition back in February and it was incredible to witness visitors reconnecting with their belongings from other institutions like ours.

Wherever you’re headed this summer, I hope you make museums part of your trip. If you see any belongings, artifacts, or specimens from the Manitoba Museum, share a picture with us on social media. We love seeing our collections reach new audiences near and far!

Staycation with us! Plan your Summer @ the Manitoba Museum visit today.

Dr. Amelia Fay

Curator of Anthropology & the HBC Museum Collection

Amelia Fay is Curator of Anthropology and the HBC Museum Collection at the Manitoba Museum. She received her BA in Anthropology from the University of Manitoba (2004), an MA in Archaeology…

Meet Dr. Amelia Fay

Museum Stories: DYK Discovery

DYK Discovery

Friday August 8, 2025

Belongings that Travel

DYK Discovery

Friday July 11, 2025

Swim with Orcas – No Snorkel Required!

For most Manitobans, the ability to reach out and touch an orca is literally thousands of kilometers away. But a new experience at the Manitoba Museum this summer offers you that opportunity, at least virtually…

DYK Discovery

Friday June 13, 2025

A Time and Place to Learn Who We Are

Opening June 20, the day before National Indigenous Peoples Day “I Belong Here” will be on display at the Manitoba Museum. Through digital art prints, the physical structures of local museums and galleries are transformed…

August is a great month for stargazing. Besides the annual Perseid meteor shower, we have some planets gathering in the pre-dawn sky which will make a nice series of photo-ops for early risers. August is also a time when many people vacation to places farther from city lights, giving them the chance to see a really dark sky. Travel during the time near new moon will maximize your dak-sky experience, but even the Full Moon rising over the city skyline can remind us of our connection to the wider universe around us.

The Solar System for August 2025

Mercury is invisible early in the month as it passes near the Sun, but reappears in the morning sky just before sunrise for the second half of August this year. The closest planet to the Sun never rises very high above the horizon before the Sun does, so you will need a clear horizon and good timing to catch it. See calendar entries below.

Venus begins the month rising about 3 a.m. local time, but slowly slips sunward over the course of the month. It passes less than 1 degree from Jupiter on August 12 and is near the Beehive star cluster in Cancer the Crab at the end of the month. See various calendar entries below for details.

Mars is in the constellation Virgo, so low in the west-southwest that you probably won’t see it. It doesn’t slip behind the Sun until January 2026, but right now the angle of its orbit keeps it very low from northern latitudes like Manitoba. (Despite all the hype of supposed “big events” you might have heard about online.)

Jupiter rises in the northeast before 4 a.m. local time at the beginning of the month, and about 2 a.m. by the end of August. It begins to brighter Venus’ lower left, drawing closer and closer each morning until their closest approach on the morning of August 12, 2025. After this, Jupiter rises higher each morning as it moves slowly among the stars of Gemini.

Saturn rises about 11 p.m. at the beginning of August, and by 9 p.m. at month’s end, finally becoming high enough for reasonably-timed observations. Saturn’s rings are tilted almost edge-on to our line of sight, making them difficult to see in a telescope. Neptune is nearby for most of the summer (see below). The waxing gibbous Moon is nearby on the morning of August 12 (see below).

Of the five known dwarf planets, only (1) Ceres is close enough to be seen in binoculars or a small telescope. In August, Ceres is below and to the left of Saturn and Neptune, wandering among the stars of the constellation Cetus the Whale. You’ll need a chart like the one in the RASC Observer’s Handbook or an app like Stellarium to track it down. Ceres will be easier to spot in the fall as it gets closer and brighter.

Sky Calendar for August 2025

All times are given in the local time for Manitoba: Central Daylight Time (UTC-5). However, most of these events are visible across Canada at the same local time without adjusting for time zones.

If there’s a little box to the left of the date, you can click on it to see a star map of that event! All images are created using Stellarium, the free planetarium software.

Friday, August 1, 2025: First Quarter Moon

Sunday, August 3, 2025: The waxing gibbous Moon is just below the bright red star Antares, very low in the south this evening and into Monday morning.

Monday, August 11, 2025: A busy night for observers. The waxing gibbous Moon is above and to the right of Saturn as they rise about 10 p.m. CDT. Over the course of the night, the Moon will move closer to Saturn as the pair rise higher and move across the sky. This showcases two of the most important sky cycles: the rising of Saturn and the Moon is caused by the Earth’s rotation every day, while the Moon gets closer to Saturn due to the Moon’s orbital motion around the Earth every month.

Also tonight and into tomorrow, the annual Perseid meteor shower reaches its peak intensity – but this isn’t a great year for it. The nearly-full Moon’s light will overwhelm most of the faint meteors. Best time will be to in the early morning hours of the 12th, in the period from about 2am until dawn. During this period you might see a dozen or two meteors per hour, if you are in a dark sky and watch the sky continuously with no breaks. If you are up this late/early, watch for Venus and Jupiter’s conjunction just before dawn (see below).

Tuesday, August 12, 2025 (morning): The peak of the Perseid meteor shower is offset by the bright Moon, but you can still expect a meteor every minute or two if you’re patient. Jupiter and Venus rises in the north-northeast about 3:20 a.m. local time, less than 1 degree apart and probably tinted orange by any smoke on the atmosphere.

They will rise higher and be due east by dawn.

Saturday, August 16, 2025 (morning): The Last Quarter Moon is approaching the Pleaides star cluster, growing closer each hour until the sun rises.

The morning of the 16th is probably your first chance to spot Mercury this season, early in the morning in the east, below and left of much brighter Venus and Jupiter. The chart shows the view at 5:45 a.m. local time; the blue circle represents the field of view shown in typical household binoculars, which will definitely help in tracking down the elusive inner planet. Over the next several days Mercury will rise higher and get brighter and easier to see.

Tuesday, August 19, 2025 (morning): The waning crescent moon forms a ragged line with Venus and Jupiter in the pre-dawn sky.

Also look for Mercury very low to the horizon just before dawn.

Wednesday, August 20, 2025 (morning): The waning crescent has passed Jupiter and Venus, now forming a right triangle with the two bright planets in the morning sky. Above and to the left at much fainter Castor and Pollux, the brightest stars in the constellation of Geminin the Twins.

Also look for Mercury very low to the horizon just before dawn.

Thursday, August 21, 2025 (morning): A razor-thin crescent Moon stands above Mercury as the dawn sky brightens. Look low in the east-northeast as the sky brightens. The chart to the right shows the view at 5:45 a.m. CDT; the blue circle indicates the field of view of typical household binoculars.

Saturday, August 23, 2025: New Moon

Sunday, August 31, 2025: First Quarter Moon