Curated by JP Stienne
In 2015, the Museum exhibited 60 Years/60 Objects, which highlighted some interesting, whimsical, and culturally significant objects from the Museum Collection. Six years later, we are revisiting the idea of opening up the Collection and exploring more unknown gems. From antique dolls to a Central School desk, 20 Objects is sure to contain something to delight all visitors.
This exhibition is particularly poignant, as two of the items were chosen by members of our community who have recently passed away; Shawn Lamb, who was an integral in creating the Nelson Museum, Archives and Gallery and whose legacy lives on in the Shawn Lamb Archives; and Ron Welwood, a dear friend and philanthropist, who over the decades has supported the Museum alongside his wife Frances, in countless ways. “We have been honoured to work alongside some of our community’s recognized historians, including Shawn and Ron, for this exhibition,” says Executive Director Astrid Heyerdahl. “Their dedication and contribution to the Museum will forever be held with the utmost respect.”
20 Objects not only offers a sneak peak into the Museum Collection, which houses almost 7,000 items and half a million photographs and newspaper pages — it also creates space to discuss the omission of missing and misrepresented voices throughout the colonial history of this museum, and museums and galleries around the world.
“For the last three decades, and especially in the last three years, museums around the world have taken steps towards changing their practices and undoing the wrongs that have been done through their methodology, collections practices, archives, and artistic representations,” Heyerdahl adds. “The Nelson Museum has been undertaking important decolonization and reconciliation work as we continued to strengthen our relationships with the Sinixt Confederacy, the Ktunaxa Nation, and the West Kootenay Métis Association. We are excited to be partnering with the Nations in order to develop a new museum exhibition that fully aligns with UNDRIP, the TRC Calls to Action, and the First Nations Principles of OCAP, as well as celebrates all of the diverse voices of our shared history.”
