Waskesiu Heritage Museum Celebrates 10 Years
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The Waskesiu Heritage Museum, created in Saskatchewan’s centennial year, this summer celebrates its 10th anniversary of providing visitors to Waskesiu with a unique experience of earlier days in “Saskatchewan’s playground”.
The museum tells the human history of Prince Albert National Park (PANP) since its inception in 1928. It brings together artifacts, images, and memorabilia that depict the way of life of early visitors and residents. People who were instrumental in developing the Waskesiu community and who continue to enjoy PANP today donated items to the museum. The museum enables visitors to gain a greater understanding of the park’s vibrant past. Several thousand people visit the museum each year.
Twelve dedicated people founded the museum with a few donated artifacts in one room of the Friends of the Park Bookstore. This energetic group grew as more enthusiastic volunteers worked for the museum. The indoor collection has grown to occupy half of the building. Outside on the neighbouring property, the featured exhibit is an original canvas roofed shack tent from the early days of the Park, accompanied by a replica of an early camp kitchen. A portable cabin and shed, locally known as a doghouse, represent a later era along with a fire tower cupola and a rail cart for portaging watercraft. A large group of active volunteers continues to support the museum by serving as board members, working as guides, planning and holding events, building and maintaining displays, and raising funds to mention just a few tasks.
A variety of different events have been hosted at or by the museum such as concerts, a vintage fashion show, a ceremony recognizing the HMCS Waskesiu, yard sales, a dog show, Canada Day celebrations and volunteer appreciation dinners. Heritage Day celebrations prove so popular that this has become an annual event. Planned for Saturday, August 8, 2015, Heritage Day is old- fashioned fun for the whole family – from sack races and a fishpond to animated exhibits and candy apples.
