Museums

Located at 4401-54 Avenue Facebook.com/bonnyvillemuseum www.bonnyvillemuseum.ca 780-826-4925

BONNYVILLE & DISTRICT MUSEUM

Learn about the history of the Bonnyville region through the impressive collection of artifacts at the Bonnyville & District Museum.

The diversity of the region is depicted in fourteen buildings – a number of which are original structures moved to the three-acre property by volunteers. On site are three churches, an expansive hospital exhibit, the 1920s Vallee General Store, two quaint homesteader cabins, and a firehall replica.

The museum houses a vast array of agricultural and industrial artifacts – some of which are housed in the blacksmith shop, early automotive garage, and restored tractor shed. New to the museum is the St. Anne Chapel, which was originally built in the Rife community in 1932. The chapel is fully adorned with historic furnishings and artifacts, and is available for private bookings.

A visit to the Bonnyville & District Museum isn’t complete without seeing the stunning collection of folk-art miniatures, made between 1930 and 1950 by local artisan Clementine Poitras. Snap a selfie in front of the seven-metre high, hand-carved statue of 18th century fur trader, Angus Shaw.

The museum is open from May to August. Visit their website or Facebook page for hours and details. Admission fees range depending on age — Adult $5, Senior $3, Child $2, Family $10. Donations are gratefully accepted.

COLD LAKE MUSEUMS

The beauty, vastness, and abundant resources of the Cold Lake region have drawn a variety of people and businesses to Cold Lake for years. The Cold Lake Museums tell the stories of their adventures.

There are four sectors in the building – the Cold Lake Air Force Museum, the Oil & Gas Museum, the Aboriginal Museum, and the Heritage Museum. The accredited Air Force Museum paints a picture of 4 Wing and its squadrons and units from 1954 to present. Stay tuned for an interesting new exhibit coming this year about the Cruise Missile that was tested here during the 1980s.

The Oil & Gas Museum shows the unique technology developed specifically for the Cold Lake Oil Sands through interactive exhibits. In the Aboriginal Museum, you can learn about the history of the Dene Suline, Cree Nations, and Métis peoples living on the shores of Cold Lake – with new features to come in 2022. The Heritage Museum contains the artifacts and storyline of the first Europeans arriving in Cold Lake at the end of the 18th century. For those that don’t know, before the air force and oil, Cold Lake was a land of farmers, fishermen, fur trappers, and loggers who came west for new opportunities. The museum depicts their stories in various vignettes.

A Radar Dome was added to the museum grounds, along with a small airpark, telling the story of Canadian Forces Cold Lake, and its role as part of the Pinetree Line.

Located on Hwy 28 N, east of Tri-City Mall facebook.com/Cold-Lake-Museums www.coldlakemuseum.org 780-594-3546

Museums