International Museums Day: Museum and Memory

Uniformed women packing salmon. 1950s. G1998.001.019, GOGCS Photo Collection.

International Museums Day recognizes the role that museums play in our communities. Every year on May 18th, museums across the world celebrate this day. This year, the theme is Museum and Memory.

Museums preserve memories and tell stories. They have in their collections numerous objects that are fundamental to the memory of the communities we live in. These objects are the expression of our natural and cultural heritage. Many of them are fragile, some endangered, and they all need special care and conservation. International Museum Day 2011 will be an opportunity to discover and rediscover your individual and collective memory.

While the Gulf of Georgia Cannery is technically not a museum but rather a national historic site, it is important to recognize its significant role in portraying the living history of the fishing community of Steveston and the importance fishing and canning had on the development and growth of this town. It is through shared memories and stories of this community, of those who have come together to build a representation of their memories, that allow you and I to share, learn, and experience in our own way the history of this fishing and canning town.

Come by and visit the Cannery. In  honour of this day, visit a museum near you, and you might learn something new and exciting about the community around you.

Posted by websitedev
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