Alberta Destinations

Political images on show at St. Albert museum

By George G. Usher

Politicians. Some we love and some we emphatically don’t.

How public opinion about political leaders is shaped and expressed by images of their public personalities and styles is the theme of an exhibition at the Musée Héritage Museum and Archives in St. Albert.

Love 'em, Hate 'em: Canadians and their Politicians, a travelling exhibition produced by the Canadian Museum of Civilization, is on at the museum from November 24 to February 14, 2010.

The museum has added some local flavour with cartoons, campaign material and humorous items from local and provincial politicians such as Richard Fowler, Anita Rachinsky, Nolan Crouse, Ralph Klein and Deborah Grey.

Also at the museum located in St. Albert Place, which is designed by renowned architect Douglas Cardinal, is the permanent exhibit St. Albert: This Is Our Story.

The exhibit explores the story of St. Albert, including Aboriginal history, the settlement of St. Albert as a Catholic mission, and contemporary issues, and features artifacts and archival material from the museum’s collection.

That collection consists of more than 6,500 artifacts, 1,100 programming objects, 38 linear metres of textual record, around 3,000 pre-1948 photographs, thousands of post-1948 photographs, and about 6,000 subject/biography information files.

Another museum feature is the Discovery Room. This space provides opportunities for children to learn through the interactive displays, with the theme changing on a regular schedule.

The Musée Héritage Museum and Archives is located at 5 St. Anne Street in St. Albert. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday, 1p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

For further information go to www.artsheritage.com/museum or call 780-459-1528.