A Busy Summer!
An Even Busier Fall!

It has been a busy and exciting summer at the High Prairie & District Museum! Since June, we have welcomed more than 800 people through our doors and through on-site and extension programs and events. 144 people alone attended our re-opening event on Canada Day. From hosting participants from the High Prairie Municipal Library’s Summer Reading Program to walking tours, family activities and community events, it has been wonderful to see people reconnecting with the Museum and discovering new ways to participate. We are very grateful for the level of support (and encouragement!) we have had since we re-opened by our community and visitors alike.

We have also been building the capacity needed to support a growing program of activities. Eight new volunteers have joined our Museum team and will provide invaluable support with events and public programs, collections work, weekly cleaning and other activities. As we head into September, our calendar is quickly filling with programs, group tours, facility rentals and community activities. After a prolonged closure, each of these steps brings us closer to our vision of the Museum as an active, vibrant community hub year-around: a place where people come together to learn, share stories, create and connect.

Education will also be an important focus this fall. We have revamped our existing school programs and learning kits and will be working with a small team of active and retired teachers to develop new educational programs in response to changes in Alberta’s curriculum. Their experience, combined with the Museum’s collections and local stories, will help us create engaging learning opportunities for students and teachers throughout our community and region. More information can be found below.

Thank you for being part of our story's next chapter, . We are grateful you are part of our journey.

September Event Calendar

SEPT 12 | 1:30 TO 3:00 PM
Historic Walking Tour

Discover the stories behind historic downtown High Prairie. This isn't just a walking tour—it's a community conversation. Together we'll explore historic photographs, revisit familiar places, share memories, and learn from one another as we uncover the places and stories that have shaped our community. The tour starts at the Museum, with light refreshments back at the museum following the walk. Good walking shoes and a light umbrella are recommended.

Everyone, and every story, is welcome! $5.00 at the door / free for members.

SEPT 17 | 7:00 TO 9:30 PM
Painting Workshop with Traci Hansen

Join local artist Traci Hansen for a relaxed evening of painting, conversation and creativity at the Museum. Traci will guide participants step by step through creating their own painting, so no previous art experience is needed.

All painting materials are included, and you’ll take your finished artwork home at the end of the evening. Pre-registration required, online or at the museum.
$50/person | $45 for Museum members.

>> Register Today

SEPT 19 | 11:00 AM TO 2:00 PM
Conservation Lab: What To Do With a Dirty Bird?

As part of our ongoing care for the collection, Museum collections volunteer Vicky Barsalou will demonstrate how we care for our taxidermy bird collection and help ensure these specimens are preserved for the future.

This is a drop-in program. Come by anytime between 11:00 am and 2:00 pm. FREE

SEPT 30 | 11:00 AM TO 2:00 PM
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

The High Prairie Native Friendship Centre, the High Prairie and District Children’s Resource Council, the High Prairie Food Bank and the High Prairie and District Museum invite you to come together in recognition of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Outside on the Museum grounds, join us for a tipi, speakers, a BBQ lunch and community learning resources. Inside, take part in Orange Shirt Day crafts and learn about lived experience of those attending residential and dayschools in our region.

The Truth and Reconciliation Walk through downtown begins at 2:00 pm @ the Museum.

This is a free, drop-in community event. Everyone is welcome.

New In the Museum Shop

Feature Artist: Traci Hansen

Traci Hansen is a High Prairie-area, self-taught artist whose work is inspired by the horses, landscape and rural life of Northern Alberta. Working primarily in acrylic and mixed media, Traci is known for her loose, expressive style. After operating a sign-making business for 25 years, she turned her attention to art full-time. Her recent accomplishments include winning the 2022 Grande Prairie Stompede poster competition and participating in the Grande Prairie Chuckwagon Tarp Auction.

Indigenous Art and Gifts

We have curated a line of gifts by First Nations and Métis artists from western Canada, including Treaty 6 territory which includes scarves, shawls, mugs, notebooks and Christmas ornaments. The Indigenous-owned company represents 13 First Nations and four northern communities.

Historic Jewelry by
Marcia Fossey

Based in Edmonton, Alberta, Marcia`s unique jewellery designs are living pieces of history. Our curated collection features historic trade beads, including Hudson Bay Red White Heart beads, and beads from historic costume jewelry.

Artcards and Small Artworks by Julie Jackson

Julie is a northern Alberta artist whose watercolours capture the landscapes, wildlife and everyday scenes that surround her. Largely self-taught and drawing on more than 40 years of artistic exploration, she finds inspiration in everything from old buildings and local wildlife to flowers and familiar seasonal scenes. Her work invites us to slow down, look a little more closely, and find beauty in the places and moments we might otherwise pass by.

Our shop features a wide range of books and gifts for all ages and price points. Explore our shop online and arrange for local pickup at the museum during business hours, Tuesday to Saturday, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Visit Our Museum Shop Online

Museum Program Updates

There's lots happening at the museum this fall! Along with new monthly programs, new programs are helping us to share our collections and community stories in new ways, while connecting new and long-time residents alike to our region's creativity, culture and heritage. Here are some of the ways we are doing this.

School Programs

School programs are back at the Museum! We've refreshed our existing programs and are working with local educators to develop new learning experiences connected to Alberta's changing curriculum. Through hands-on activities, museum objects and the lived experiences of those who call this region home, students can explore culture and history right here in their own community.

>> Explore our learning programs and kits

Community Survey

If you have not yet completed our online Visitor and Community Survey, we invite you to share your thoughts about the museum's programs, exhibits and communications. Your feedback is important as we plan for new exhibits and programs in 2027.

>> Complete the Survey

High Prairie Survival Kit

The Museum is pleased to take over the High Prairie Survival Kit program, helping newcomers learn more about our community and the services, organizations and resources available to them. It's another way we can help connect people to High Prairie and make them feel welcome in their new community. We are also grateful for the ongoing business/organization support for this initiative and the assistance of our program volunteers.

Know someone new to High Prairie that could benefit from having a Survival Kit? Please email us at museum@highprairie.ca

Stories Online

We hope that you have been enjoying our weekly Facebook posts as much as we have enjoyed researching and writing them. Below are three that got the most attention over the past 6 weeks (links go to Facebook).

If you have suggestions for future topics, drop us a line to museum@highprairie.ca