Alberta Destinations

Museum gallery marks St. Albert’s 150th anniversary

(Special)-In recognition of the 150th anniversary of the founding of the St. Albert Mission, St. Albert’s Musée Héritage Museum is celebrating with a new local history gallery.

The new gallery features a colourful and engaging exhibition that tells the story of the St. Albert area, the people who came to live here and the ways they changed the community. Many unique and beautiful artifacts from the museum’s collection will illustrate the story.

St. Albert’s story began 5,000 years ago with the first people that chose to settle in the Sturgeon Valley. Many others followed: fur traders, missionaries, adventurers and settlers.

There have been many reasons for choosing St. Albert as a home: necessity, adventure, commerce, spirituality and community. Each group or person that has selected the valley for a different reason and has taken advantage of the beauty and resources in their own way.

By exploring how people have used the land in the area, the exhibition is intended to allow museum-goers to better understand and appreciate what makes St. Albert a special place.

Artifacts dating back as far as 5,000 years are showcased. Included are pieces from the early fur trading and Métis families that settled in the area, as well as items that tell the story of how the Oblates and Grey Nuns established the mission at St. Albert, and artifacts that came from Francophone and other immigrants.

The Musée Héritage Museum is located at St. Albert Place, 5 St. Anne Street in St. Albert. For more information see www.artsheritage.com, phone 780.459.1528 or e-mail museum@artsheritage.ca.