Memories on Paper – Preserving Family History

Memories on Paper – Preserving Family History

Posted on by Rebecca Watson
Posted on: Friday February 14, 2025

A birthday card, photograph, diary, or hand-written note – these little archival pieces can be some of the most treasured fragments of family history. Small and unassuming, paper objects tend to get pushed to the back of drawers where they become crinkled, creased, folded, and stained. The good news is that it does not require an archival conservation lab to preserve these historic heirlooms. With a few simple Conservator tips these pieces can last for many generations to come.

An individual wearing a navy blue lab coat leans over a paper map with a scalpel in one hand. Their other hand, in a black glove, carefully holds the paper in place.

In the same way that Conservators control the environment in a storage vault of the Museum, the location of where to store these collections in your home is the first place to start. It is best to avoid an attic or basement where temperature and humidity can fluctuate, leading to possible mould or insect damage. A combination of a stable environment, away from outdoor walls, off the floor, and away from any heat sources will help the preservation of personal memorabilia.

 

Image: Senior Conservator Carolyn Sirett repairing a map from WWII that was once folded and taped together.

In addition to an optimal environment, adding a second layer of protection to your archival assets is beneficial. Paper is a porous material, and will inherently absorb anything that surrounds it, this can include odours, colours, and acids. A method Conservators use to keep these deterioration factors at bay includes the use of storage enclosures. When choosing a box or paper folder as a storage enclosure make sure to choose a product that is lignin-free, acid-free, and buffered. Additional tips include removing staples or paper clips that can rust over time, and if choosing to use plastic enclosures make sure they are made of polypropylene or polyethylene.

An oval photograph of a soldier in uniform. from one side through to the centre the material the photograph is printed on has been torn. The edges are worn.

Poor storage environments can cause staining, tears, and mould on sensitive archival documents.

Four objects including several books and a binder that are themselves artifacts or contain and store artifacts. Each is place in a close fitting, folding box to support preservation.

Examples of archival storage enclosures used to keep collections preserved.

Our personal collections are important in different ways and can spark memories of events or people once cherished. Preserving these physical memories can be done without breaking the bank, and with a few small steps anyone can ensure they last into the future.

Carolyn Sirett

Carolyn Sirett

Senior Conservator

Carolyn Sirett received her B.A. in Anthropology from the University of Manitoba, Diploma in Cultural Resource Management from the University of Victoria, and Diploma in Collections Conservation and Management…
Meet Carolyn Sirett

Museum Stories: DYK Discovery

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It’s Science! Elephant Toothpaste #IDWGIS

Posted on by Rebecca Watson
Posted on: Tuesday February 11, 2025

Happy International Day of Women and Girls in Science! Join Rhianna in the Science Gallery as she conducts an experiment to separate hydrogen peroxide to create elephant toothpaste!

Want to try this experiment at home? Follow along.

You’ll need:

  • A tall container, like a vase
  • Hair developer with hydrogen peroxide
  • Dish soap
  • Yeast
  • Warm water
  • Optional: Food colouring!

Note: This is NOT real toothpaste and should not be consumed by humans or animals.

A Sticky Situation

Posted on by Carolyn Sirett
Posted on: Tuesday February 11, 2025

Tape might seem like a good option when it comes to quick repairs of torn papers or fast mounting of photographs in an album, however, they age badly and cause irreversible damage.  Tape is fast, cheap, and easy as the adhesive is already applied to the plastic surface. We simply have the peel it and remove it from the roll, then apply pressure.  However, tape causes a lot of issues for conservators for multiple reasons: 

  1. The adhesive on tape can move into the paper fibers and it can cause yellow or orange stains, that are almost never fully removable. A conservator can lessen them, but it is hard, even impossible sometimes.  
  2. The adhesive can fail which means it is not bonded to the object anymore and can cause the loss of materials and information.  
  3. The adhesive can be stronger than the object it was applied to causing the plastic of the tape to be extremely hard to remove. In those circumstances, many steps, tools, solvents, and sometimes equipment, like microscopes, vacuum tables and light tables , are needed to remove the tape.  It is a time-consuming process that requires patience and knowledge from conservators. 

 

Yellow stains on paper remain after tape is removed from an old repair.

In some cases, we see a mix of all three types of tape deterioration in the same object! Some parts of the tape fail, others do not and are stronger than ever, or all the paper that touched the tape and the surrounding areas are stained. If the object is a photograph and was repaired on the back, the staining can reach all the way to the front and cause yellow stains to appear on the image. It can ruin photographs and important documents.  

Black book with a white rectangular label on the front cover and a silk ribbon tie closing it together.

Winnipeg Grenadier’s Scrapbook

A great example of damage caused by using tape is a scrapbook from the Winnipeg Grenadiers archives I am currently treating in the lab. In some parts of the scrapbook, the tape has failed, and the pages and newspaper clippings are loose. In other parts the adhesive is strong and sticky and has moved outside the area of the plastic tape, so the pages are stuck together. Where the tape was applied in spots, whether it is still adhered or not, the paper is stained yellow and transparent. 

As the treatment is still in progress, I am carefully using tweezers and heated tacking iron to remove the loose or fragmented pieces of tape. The documents are then aligned back in the scrapbook, and using Japanese paper and wheat starch paste, the pages are carefully put back into position.  Page by page, the process is slow, but the outcome will be a much more stable object that can be used for research.  

 

 

Large scrapbook with pieces of old tape attached to the pages and a newspaper clipping on the right page.
Pages in the scrapbook have been stuck together by the old tape residue.
One page with multiple pieces of tape and removed pieces of newspaper.
Stains from the tape have transferred onto the original page and the newspapers that were attached.
Loose pages of a scrapbook with newspaper clippings attached to paper with yellowed tape.
Loose pages have become stuck together with tape that has failed.
Beaker filled with translucent cellulose tape with an opened scrapbook sitting behind the beaker.
A beaker holding pieces of tape that have failed with age.

Modern pressure sensitive tape might be clear when we put them on objects, but they turn yellow over time and the adhesive can transfer to the paper irreversibly. Since a multitude of tapes exist it is impossible to say when deterioration will start that is visible to the naked eye. Additionally environmental conditions also play a big role in how quickly tape applied to objects will deteriorate, notably the temperature, relative humidity, and t light exposure. 

Large leather book with a red and black label on the spine. Book is sitting flat on a black table.
Tape that has been removed from the spine of the book has left a residue on the leather.

In short, there are many evils to tape and it should not be used on anything that you want to keep for a long time. This applies to all objects, not just those made of paper, and includes wood, leather, textiles, rocks or metals.  Therefore, for the longevity and physical integrity of objects, resist the temptation and avoid using tape! 

Estelle Girard

Estelle Girard

Assistant Conservator

Estelle Girard holds a B.A. in History as well as a certificate in Art History from Université Laval, and a Masters degree in Conservation Practice from Cardiff University. Estelle’s main duties as Assistant Conservator include…
Meet Estelle Girard

Museum Stories: Collections & Conservation

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The E.W. Darbey Taxidermy Shop and the Making of the Manitoba Museum

Posted on by Randall Mooi
Posted on: Thursday February 6, 2025

Taxidermy storefronts, like that of E.W. Darbey on Main Street in 1911, were stuffed with unusual animals and birds (note the seals and walrus, far right), beckoning casual visitors as well as buying customers. Detail, L.B. Foote Collection N1660, Archives of Manitoba.

 

The Manitoba Museum recently opened a “new” store in the Winnipeg 1920 Gallery, the Darbey taxidermy shop. Today, a taxidermy shop would be considered a minor player in our digital world of cell phones, apps, and AI. But from 1880 into the 1920s, taxidermy was an important element of Manitoba society. Many homes, particularly wealthy ones, displayed hunting trophies and stuffed birds. These functioned as conversation pieces and expressions of social status. Public spaces were adorned with game heads as symbols of the province’s natural riches. Government-sponsored travelling exhibitions used taxidermy to promote Manitoba as overflowing with resources awaiting exploitation and profit. The aim was to attract businesses and immigrants from other parts of Canada and from around the world.

The Golden Age of Winnipeg Taxidermy

Black and white photo of tall glass display cases containing a variety of taxidermized birds.

Through this promotion, Manitoba became a destination for big game and bird hunters, even royalty. Trophy hunters from further west, on their return to the east, would stop at Winnipeg to have their prizes prepared. This meant taxidermy was in high demand in the city. By as early as 1891 there were at least four separate taxidermy businesses operating within just a few blocks of each other, right along Main Street – and the population of Winnipeg was only about 26,000 at the time!

 

Image: Taxidermy exhibited in the Manitoba Pavilion at Chicago World’s Fair in 1893, much of it likely the work of the Hine family of Winnipeg. Such displays emphasized the natural bounty of the province to attract visitors, sportsmen, and immigrants. From Winnipeg Daily Tribune Supplement, August 26, 1893.

It was page-one news in the (then) Manitoba Free Press, albeit accompanied by sarcastic humour, when Winnipeg’s first taxidermist, George Nagy, arrived on the scene in August of 1879:

A scanned newspaper clipping reading, "A taxidermist has started business in this city. The latest definition of a taxidermist is "one who upholsters dead animals."

 

 

 

Nagy did not advertise as a taxidermist, but as a furrier who also “stuffed” moose and deer heads, and birds. Nagy was soon replaced by those specializing in taxidermy, with the first listing of “Taxidermists” in the classifieds of the 1882 Henderson Directory naming the Hine family – father Abel and son William – under that category. They were later joined by Abel’s younger sons Calvin and Ashley.  This family received acclaim in England and across North America for their work, with Ashley becoming a noted bird taxidermist for Chicago’s Field Museum of Natural History in the 1920s and 30s.

Competition from additional taxidermists began in earnest between 1890 and 1900 with the arrival of George Grieve, Alexander Calder, Edmund Wilson and his sons, William White, and smaller operators. There was substantial cross-pollination of talent; the hired help, or the main players themselves, often moved between establishments. For example, Calvin Hine worked variously with his father and brother, with Grieve, with White, and also independently. One of White’s employees, Edward Darbey, was able to learn taxidermy and marketing from some of the best, and he used that experience to full advantage.

A taxidermized white bird on a mount.

An example of Darbey’s work, an albino crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) now in the Manitoba Museum collection. MM 3-6-452 © Ian McCausland, Manitoba Museum.

A newspaper clipping photograph of a man in a brimless hat, jacket, and knee high boots.

Darbey himself in his field attire. Winnipeg Free Press, August 26, 1922.

The Rise of Edward Darbey, “Official Taxidermist to the Manitoba Government”

Edward Wade Darbey was born in 1872 in southern Ontario and arrived in Winnipeg with his parents in 1887. By 1892, he had become an apprentice and clerk to William Fenwick White, a well-known taxidermist and “curio” dealer on Main Street. The early 1900s saw significant upheaval on the Winnipeg taxidermy scene. The untimely deaths of long-time taxidermists George Grieve (in 1901, age 49) and William White (in 1905, age 45), along with members of the Hine family leaving Winnipeg for England, Alberta, or British Columbia, created a void – and opportunity. Edward Darbey took the taxidermied bison by the horns, as it were, and purchased Grieve’s established business. Darbey’s skill, business acumen, and ambition had him named as Manitoba’s official taxidermist, a unique position he held until his death in 1922. Darbey’s wife was equally ambitious and managed the business, using Darbey’s name and title as advertising, for several years after his passing.

A letterhead for E. W. Darbey

Darbey’s letterhead proclaiming his title as taxidermist to Manitoba’s government. Taxidermy held a different place in society at the turn of the 20th century. From the C. Hart Merriam papers, p. 426, The Bancroft Library.

Taxidermy shops as “Museums”

Until 1932, there was no provincial museum in Manitoba. Before then, taxidermy and “curio” shops assumed that role. These were filled with an intriguing assortment of mounted birds and mammals. Some also carried an array of beautiful Indigenous beadwork, leatherwork, and archaeological items. They attracted not only buying customers, but interested visitors as well. And, as noted, there were several competing taxidermy shops to browse. One proprietor, William Fenwick White (where Darbey got his start), even advertised his shop as “White’s Free Museum.” Taxidermists were also sought for their knowledge on animal behaviour, distribution, and, paradoxically, conservation.

Newspaper clipping reads, "Notice / White's Curiosity Store / Removed to 563 Main St. / Call and see the wonders in the free museum."

Newspaper clipping reads, "See the FREE MUSEUM / It is... well worth looking at, and... costs you nothing / If you are going home for Christmas or want to send your friends a souvenir of the Wild and Wooly West / White's Free Museum is the place to get it / 563 Main Street / N.B.--Japanese Goods at half prices. Buffalo Horns, Indian Relios, and Native Souvenirs, a large variety to choose from".

Newspaper clipping reading, "When in Winnipeg call at White's Free Museum / and see birds and animals peculiar to the Northwest. Double-headed calves, double-bellied pigs and other monstrosities. Silver foxes, moose, elk, antelope and mountain sheep heads, etc., etc. Buffalo Horn Spoons and Drinking cups, Bead Work, Fancy Slippers. The place to get something interesting of the country to give your friends in the east. Wanted to purchase, curios, large moose and elk heads, elk teeth, etc. All kinds of taxidermist's work done. Charges moderate. / 563 Main St., near Brunswick Hotel."

Winnipeg newspaper advertisements posted at the turn of the 20th century by William Fenwick White for his “Free Museum” of taxidermy, including two-headed calves along with more traditional mounts.  First Nations beadwork and clothing was also featured. From left to right: Winnipeg Tribune, Sept 1, 1893; Winnipeg Free Press, Dec 12, 1894 and Dec 21, 1901.

Darbey’s Taxidermy Shop and the first Manitoba Museum

Looking into a room filled with taxidermy specimens. Past a mounted elk head on the left, shelves along the backwall contain specimens like a small white seal, and a snowy owl.

It was in this social atmosphere that Darbey’s taxidermy shop became a centre for local naturalists. His rise to prominence and resultant receipt of interesting specimens added to the attraction. Ernest Thompson Seton (1860-1946), the famous Canadian/American writer and Chief Naturalist for Manitoba, visited Darbey’s shop and relied on Darbey for bird and mammal records for his books and reports. Working under Darbey were excellent preparators and collectors, like Cyril Guy Harrold, who had local, national, and international connections. By 1920, informal get-togethers had led to the formation of the Natural History Society of Manitoba. It was members of this organization that championed, and won, a dedicated space for a provincially recognized museum in 1932. Although it had humble beginnings, just a small room in the Civic Auditorium (now the Archives of Manitoba), it was the predecessor to the present Manitoba Museum. Many of the collections in our vaults and on exhibit were inherited from this earlier incarnation.

 

Image: A peek through the window of Darbey’s shop as reproduced in the Winnipeg 1920 Gallery and into an important era of Manitoba history. © Manitoba Museum.

A glass display case in the Prairies Gallery filled with a variety of taxidermized bird specimens next to an information panel titled, "Whitewater Lake - A Prairie Oasis". One of the birds on the bottom of the case is circled in yellow.

A close up on a taxidermized bird specimen on display with dark feather on its head and back, and white cheeks, throat, and belly.

A beautiful Darbey mount of a western grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis) – circled in yellow on the left and as a closeup on the right – currently seen in the Whitewater Lake exhibit in the Prairies Gallery. Even after more than 100 years, Darbey’s work continues to have purpose and educate. © Ian McCausland, Manitoba Museum

We invite you to visit Darbey’s taxidermy shop reproduced in the Winnipeg 1920 Gallery and explore its amazing contents through the window it provides into the Winnipeg of over 100 years ago. And you can see some of Darbey’s original work in the Prairies Gallery, still drawing the eyes of intrigued visitors.

Dr. Randy Mooi

Dr. Randy Mooi

Curator of Zoology

Dr. Mooi received his Ph.D. in zoology from the University of Toronto working on the evolutionary history of coral reef fishes. Following a postdoctoral fellowship in the Division of Fishes of the Smithsonian Institution…
Meet Dr. Randy Mooi

Museum Stories: Zoology

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DYK Mastodons and Mammoths

Posted on by Rebecca Watson
Posted on: Tuesday February 4, 2025

Do you know how to tell the difference between a mammoth and a mastodon? Check out their smile!

In this video Erin shows us the differences between mammoth and mastodon teeth.

The Sky for February 2025

Posted on by Scott Young
Posted on: Wednesday January 29, 2025

February is an often-cloudy month in Manitoba, but for those clear nights there are lots of planets to watch, as well as the last chance to spot the winter constellations before they disappear into the longer days of spring.

The planet Jupiter and two of its moons.

The Solar System

Mercury passes behind the Sun from our point of view early in the month, an event known as superior conjunction. It re-appears in the evening sky very late in the month on its way to its best showing of 2025 for northern hemisphere viewers in March.

Venus shines at its brightest this month, dominating the southwestern sky after sunset. In a telescope, Venus shows its crescent phase, which shrinks thinner and thinner as it moves between us and the Sun.

Mars is just past its best last month, but is still bright and easy to find in the southeast after sunset. By 10 p.m. local time it is high in the south, and sets in the west after 5 a.m. Mars forms a triangle with the bright stars Castor and Pollux, and you can see the planet’s orbital motion day by day as this triangle shifts.

Jupiter spends the month very close to the V-shaped star cluster known as the Hyades, which marks the face of Taurus the Bull. The bright reddish star Aldebaran makes a nice colour contrast with Jupiter’s clear white light. The group is high in the south as darkness falls, and is visible for several hours past midnight before setting in the west.

Saturn will finally disappear from view at the end of February, dropping lower and lower into the sunset twilight each day. What is the last day you can spot it with the unaided eye? It will depend on your eyesight, how clear your southwestern horizon is, and how clear the sky is. Saturn will swing behind the Sun and re-emerge into the pre-dawn sky in April.

Uranus and Neptune are both too faint to be easily seen with the unaided eye, although Uranus can be glimpsed as a very faint “star” from a very dark location, and both can be seen in binoculars. The trick is to tell which dot is a planet and which is a background star. An online app like Stellarium  can help you track down these challenging targets. Uranus is in the evening sky west of Jupiter and the Pleiades, but Neptune is over near Venus and quickly disappears into the twilight.

Of the dwarf planets, only Ceres is ever bright enough to catch in binoculars, and only at the right time. Unfortunately, this month Ceres is setting soon in bright twilight as it passes behind the sun in late March. The other dwarf planets – Pluto, Eris, Haumea, and Makemake – require very large telescopes or imaging to spot.

Sky Calendar for 2025

All times are given in Central Standard Time (UTC-6), the local time for Manitoba. However, most of these events are visible across Canada at the same local time without adjusting for time zones.

Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025 (evening): The thin crescent Moon is very close to Venus in the evening sky. Neptune is just below the Moon but  invisible without a telescope.

Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025 (evening): The First Quarter Moon approaches the Pleaides star cluster as it did last month, but it doesn’t starts covering (or occulting) stars until it has almost set for Manitobans. Observers farthest west will be able to see the Moon successively cover and uncover dozens of stars over the course of an hour.

Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025 (evening): The waxing gibbous Moon is above Jupiter, forming a ragged line with the bright star Aldebaran at the bottom.

Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025 (evening): The waxing gibbous Moon forms a small triangle with Mars and the two bright stars Castor and Pollux. The moon also occulted (eclipsed) Mars just a few hours before rising in Manitoba, similar to the event last month.

Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025 : Also on this date, Mercury reaches superior conjunction, on the far side (and slightly below) the Sun from our earthly viewpoint.

Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025: Full Moon

Friday, Feb. 14, 2025: The dwarf planet Ceres passes behind the Sun.

Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025: Last Quarter Moon

Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025 (evening): Mercury may become visible in the evening sky beginning on this date. It is *very* low in the southwest after sunset, and sets soon after the Sun. Throughout the rest of February it rises higher and becomes easier to see.

Monday, Feb. 24, 2025: Mercury is beside much fainter Saturn, low in the southwest after sunset. Saturn will likely be invisible without binoculars. Over the next few days Mercury will rise higher while Saturn sinks lower, finally disappearing into the sun’s glare.

Friday, Feb. 27, 2025: New Moon

Sky map for 28 Feb 2025 showing (from top) Venus, Mercury, and the thin crescent Moon.Saturday, Feb. 28, 2025 (evening): The young crescent Moon joins Mercury, very low in the southwest after sunset. You will need perfectly clear skies and a flat horizon to spot them, and you’ll need to balance the darkening sky against the setting moon. Scan the skies beginning about 6:20 p.m. with binoculars, just above the horizon. This is your best chance this year to spot the thinnest possible crescent Moon.

Northern Lights, Meteors, and other Cool Stuff

People stare up at the northern lights above them.

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

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

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WHERE are these rare plants found?

Posted on by Rebecca Watson
Posted on: Tuesday January 28, 2025

With a variety of ecosystems across our province, Manitoba also has a fascinating variety of rare plants. You might not think of sand dunes as the most hospitable of environments, but some plants know how thrive there!

In this video Dr. Diana Bizecki Robson shows us some of the rare plants that make their homes in sand dunes.

Did you know there are cougars in Manitoba?

Posted on by Rebecca Watson
Posted on: Tuesday January 21, 2025

A new exhibit has prowled its way into the Parklands Gallery and we can’t wait for you to see it! This exhibit showcases the cougar and shares the story of a specific cat named SK10.

In this video, join Dr. Randy Mooi in the Gallery to learn more about how this elusive creature came to be at the Manitoba Museum.

Plan your next visit today

Did you know… Inside the Dioramas!

Posted on by Rebecca Watson
Posted on: Tuesday January 14, 2025

When we have temporary closures, it gives staff like Senior Conservator Carolyn Sirett an opportunity to do maintenance on some of the most beloved aspects of the Manitoba Museum – the dioramas!

In this video, she takes us inside a few of the dioramas to chat about some of the conservation work they do to keep them preserved for years to come.

Reconciliation in Action

Posted on by Rebecca Watson
Posted on: Monday January 13, 2025

Hello Manitoba Museum friends,

Happiest New Year. I wish you and your loved ones much joy in the year ahead.  

I reflected over the winter holidays on the many changes we’ve made at the Museum in recent years. It’s been an intense and intentional period of transformation. In an organization’s life cycle, there are varying periods of operations; steady, growth, or decline. Occasionally, when an organization faces intense internal or external pressures, incremental changes aren’t enough. It must make an evolutionary leap. That’s what we’ve done at the Manitoba Museum over the last few years. We leapt. Our evolutionary leap has meant: 

  • Redefining our raison dêtre – reason for being,
  • Recognizing, with gratitude and humility, that the ways in which we were operating no longer served our future,
  • Renewing our vision and calling upon the courage needed to become something significantly different, and
  • Releasing our grip on what was so that we could become a museum which not only honoured and continuously reexamined the past, but also one that would take meaningful actions to shape the future.

When an evolutionary leap takes place, the organization will either transform and realize a viable future, or it will miss the mark and face possible decline.   

The Manitoba Museum bravely chose to change, work which will continue for many years to come. Thankfully, our efforts have been warmly welcomed by our communities, generously supported by donors, enjoyed by Members, and appreciated by partners, collaborators, and co-creators.    

An important example of how we’ve changed is the implementation of a very important policy; the Indigenous Complimentary Admission Policy. Since actively promoting this policy in 2021 and working to strengthen our relationships with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples, over 60,000 Indigenous visitors have come to the Manitoba Museum to connect and reconnect with their own heritages, histories, artifacts, and stories.  

There is perhaps no stronger example of the impact of our efforts to exist in the service of our communities than these new and renewed relationships.  

Why is complimentary admission for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples important, you might ask?  

I’d like to take a few minutes of your time to answer this question. 

 

Indigenous Complimentary Admission at the Manitoba Museum 

In alignment with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Calls to Action and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), the Manitoba Museum proudly offers complimentary admission to all First Nations, Inuit, and Métis visitors. This initiative reflects a deep commitment to reconciliation, cultural revitalization, and the reclamation of knowledge and language. 

  

Reconciliation in Action 

The TRC’s Calls to Action urge institutions across Canada to take meaningful steps toward healing and repairing relationships with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. For the Manitoba Museum, providing complimentary access is a tangible response to these calls, embodying the principles of respect, inclusivity, and acknowledgment of the profound contributions of Indigenous cultures and histories. 

Similarly, UNDRIP emphasizes the rights of Indigenous peoples to maintain, develop, and share their cultural heritage. By opening its doors to Indigenous visitors at no cost, the Museum acknowledges its role in supporting these rights and creating an environment where Indigenous voices, stories, and traditions can flourish. 

Photograph of the Treaty Number 6 handshake medal. A circular medal portraying a representative of England shaking hands with an Indigenous leader. They stand on grassy ground in front of tipis and the rising sun. Text around the edge of the medal reads, “Indian Treaty No. 6 / 1876”.
A Shared Commitment to Cultural Revitalization

The Manitoba Museum recognizes the unique relationship it holds with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. For generations, the Museum has been a repository of artifacts, stories, and histories that bear witness to the vibrant cultures and resilience of Indigenous communities. Indigenous Complimentary Admission strengthens this relationship by actively supporting the practice and revitalization of cultural traditions—past, present, and future. Moreover, complimentary access also acknowledges the Museum’s problematic role in colonialism. The forced removal of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis artifacts, knowledge, and stories in order to fill the collections vaults at museums globally has robbed Indigenous communities of their own cultures. The Manitoba Museum is in the process of conducting a thorough assessment of its collections to determine their provenance – the record of an object’s origins and ownership over time. Repatriation, rematriation, and complimentary access are all steps the Manitoba Museum is taking to right these historic wrongs. 

Through access to exhibitions, programming, and educational resources, Indigenous visitors can engage with artifacts and narratives that resonate with their heritage. This access facilitates the transmission of Indigenous histories, languages, oral traditions, ceremonies, technologies, skills, philosophies, writing systems, and literature to current and future generations.

Image: This Treaty No. 6 Medal, first presented to Chief Red Pheasant on Aug. 28, 1876, came to the attention of the Manitoba Museum’s former curator, Katherine Pettipas, in 2002. The medal was acquired by the Museum in 1994 as part of a large donation of over 25,000 artifacts in the Hudson’s Bay Company Museum Collection. Records and oral history indicate that in 1885 an Indian Agent removed it from the possession of Chief Red Pheasant. Pettipas contacted Red Pheasant Cree Nation to initiate the repatriation of the medal to the Community, and in July 2019 Red Pheasant Chief and Council formally requested the repatriation of the medal. Director of Research and Collections, Seema Hollenberg worked with Chief Clint Wuttunee and the Band Council to returned to Red Pheasant Cree Nation, which occurred at Treaty Days on July 3, 2019.

An Anti-Colonial Stance

Providing complimentary admission to Indigenous visitors is more than a policy; it is a conscious anti-colonial act. By challenging barriers to access and welcoming inclusivity, the Museum rejects colonial practices that have historically excluded or marginalized First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities. Instead, it creates opportunities for empowerment and self-determination, affirming the centrality of Indigenous perspectives in understanding Manitoba’s shared history.

A pair of mid-calf high moccasins with floral beadwork. On the shin of the boot are orange flowers with green leaves, and on the top of the foot are red and black flowers with green leaves.
Honouring the Past, Inspiring the Future

The Manitoba Museum’s commitment to Indigenous Complimentary Admission is a step forward in its ongoing journey of reconciliation and partnership with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. It reflects a profound respect for the past and a dedication to inspiring discovery, learning, and connection for generations to come. 

This initiative underscores the Museum’s belief in the transformative power of knowledge and the importance of sharing stories that shape our collective identity. By welcoming Indigenous visitors into its spaces, the Museum honours the rich tapestry of cultures and histories that define Manitoba and reaffirms its pledge to uphold the values of reconciliation and respect. 

  

Removing Barriers to Connection 

It is vital that the Manitoba Museum continues to remove any and all barriers faced by First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples in reconnecting with and experiencing their own cultures and histories. As an institution founded on colonial principles, the Museum acknowledges the need for definitive and direct action to change this reality. The Museum also recognizes that many artifacts held within its collection were not always acquired freely, fairly, or with proper compensation. Coercion, oppression, and systemically imposed policies resulting in poverty forced the hands of many First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples to engage in trade and commercial relationships that exploited them. 

Image © Manitoba Museum, H4-2-527

We cannot change the past, but we are responsible for changing the future. By providing accessible opportunities for cultural engagement and education, the Museum takes responsibility for its role in shaping a more inclusive and equitable future for all. 

  

Thank you for your support as we undertake this important work. 

  

Sincerely,

The name "Dorota," handwritten in blue ink.

 

 

 

Dorota Blumczyńska
Manitoba Museum CEO

  

Is the Manitoba Museum an independent organization? 

Yes, the Manitoba Museum is an independent legal entity guided by its mandate, mission, vision, and values in its service to Manitobans. Unlike many museums in other provinces across Canada, the Manitoba Museum is not an arm of the government, nor a department or crown corporation.  

The Manitoba Museum is a not-for-profit organization with charitable status. It is governed by a Board of sixteen volunteers who set the organization’s strategic priorities, approve Board policies and procedures, and provide judicious oversight of the Museum’s resources. The Museum is led by CEO Dorota Blumczyńska, who determines day-to-day operations including the implementation of the Complimentary Admissions Policy.