Yvonne Fontaine Godard, President of the museum since 2005, points out that "the closure still allowed the museum to carry out renovations. We were able to renovate the bell tower, the museum façade was repaired and painted along with the windows in 2021. Originally, our building was a church that was converted into a museum in 2014. We also had an electrical upgrade throughout in 2020, and we repaired and painted the inside walls and ceiling."
Novelties and exhibitions to discover during the summer
The open day on May 23 will allow visitors to discover the museum's novelties. The event starts at 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. Self-guided tours will be offered to discover the new exhibitions as well as the new souvenir shop, where people can buy T-shirts, pins and more.
"On this occasion, we will present the new Dawson Trail art exhibition, by Manitoba Métis and Francophone artist Pierrette Sherwood, who will be present for the event. A music group will also be present to play live during the afternoon, the Robert Halabiski and The Country Stars Band.
"Many workshops will be offered to visitors. We will sell membership cards, gifts, and even 50/50 lottery tickets where participants will have the opportunity to win $3,000. The winning ticket will be announced at our Annual General Meeting on October 13, 2022. »
Tastings and beading workshops
Visitors to the museum will also be able to enjoy traditional Métis food through a partnership with Farm Dog, a Sainte-Anne food vendor that offers food cooked with farm produce. "Cakes and popcorn will also be available, as well as coffee, tea, water and sweet pop," adds Yvonne Fontaine Godard.
"I'm really looking forward to seeing our future visitors, because it's been over two years since we saw anyone in the museum! I really encourage people to come and discover this atypical place.
"The Open House on May 23 will kick off our summer season. In July, we will celebrate Christmas with Christmas in July, where children from 7 to 14 years old can participate in painting and decoration activities for several days. We will also offer several Beading Circles, an exchange workshop led by Mélanie Gamache to share travel experiences and beading projects. »
www.dawsontrialmuseum.ca
