Dusting off the past

For nearly a year, the artifacts at the Northern Life Museum in Fort Smith have gathered dust behind locked doors. Now there's hope that parts of the museum could open soon and permanent displays -- under renovation for three years -- will be ready for the public by June.

Paul Bickford
Northern News Services

Fort Smith (Feb 24/03) - After a year behind locked doors, Fort Smith's Northern Life Museum is finally returning to life.

The museum's downstairs galleries were closed to public events and exhibitions almost a year ago.

And the main upstairs galleries -- containing the museum's permanent displays -- have been closed about three years for renovations.

In that time, public frustration with the situation has been boiling. The concern led to the late-January election of a new board of directors for the Northern Anthropological and Cultural Society, which runs the museum.

Don Jaque, the society's new chair, says the downstairs portion of the museum will be open to the public soon.

"My priority initially is to get people back into the lower galleries," he says, explaining that would breathe life into the museum.

The fire marshal was scheduled to inspect the building today and Jaque is confident recent maintenance will gain approval for public use.

The target for opening the upstairs galleries is June.

Mayor Peter Martselos says he is happy to see the positive developments at the museum.

"Things are going well with the museum, so far."

The mayor says the lengthy closure caused great concern in the community. "It's affected everyone, especially the tourists."

However, the museum still has major financial hurdles to overcome.

Lack of money

Jaque candidly admits the museum society is almost broke, noting it has just $6,000 in the bank.

He estimates the museum requires $30,000 for maintenance and various improvements, $10,000 to finish the renovations to the permanent displays, and $10,000 for monthly operating expenses.

"So if we had someone with $50,000 to spare, we would gladly accept it and it would be well-invested in the museum," he says.

The museum will get some of its annual operating grant from the GNWT in April.

Despite the financial issues, Jaque is confident about the future.

"I'm really optimistic that we're going to keep going and, in the long term, flourish."

The new chair has already begun raising funds and seeking corporate sponsorship.

He also plans to hold a general membership meeting Feb. 26 and call for community involvement with fundraising.

Jaque says there will be a grand opening, combined with the museum's 30th anniversary celebrations in June.