Glenbow Museum of Calgary AB
The Glenbow Museum
The Glenbow Museum is a large art and history museum located in downtown Calgary, Alberta. It’s a non-profit organization, and the Glenbow-Alberta Institute maintains its collections. Founded in 1966, the institute aims to care for the collections and activate the art. In addition to its extensive collection of art and artifacts, it has a comprehensive archive. This archive is considered one of Canada’s most extensive non-governmental repositories.
The museum is also home to a vast collection of military memorabilia from the past. From early explorers to present-day conflicts, the collections speak to the history of our world.
There are four significant collections at the Glenbow Museum. These include History and Ethnology, Natural History, and Art collections. Each of these collections features various items from all over the globe. Among them are the Sam Steele artifacts, which the Glenbow-Alberta Museum and the University of Alberta in 2008 acquired.
The library of the Glenbow Museum has more than 100,000 books, including maps, periodicals, and publications related to the museum’s collection. It has many rare illustrated equestrian literature from the 15th century. Additionally, the Glenbow archives are a significant research center for historians and genealogists. They contain a massive collection of archival records, film footage, photographs, and sound recordings.
The museum’s third floor is devoted to the history of the settlement of Western Canada. It documents the hardships of ranching and farming in the area and the joys of growing up in the West.
The sixth floor contains a comprehensive archive with more than three-and-a-half kilometers of unpublished manuscripts and rare maps. On display are precious minerals and rocks from around the world.
The museum will soon undergo significant renovations. A new feature gallery, the Werklund Exhibition Gallery, will be constructed to showcase traveling exhibitions. Once the renovations are complete, the museum will relocate to a new location. While the renovations are underway, the museum will offer a pop-up gallery at the Edison Building.
As part of its mission to make the art and culture of Canada accessible to the public, Glenbow has received many donations. The family of JR Shaw, for example, has pledged $35 million to the museum. Also, the Government of Alberta has announced that it will invest $40 million to transform the museum.
Having received many generous supporters, the museum continues to seek community contributions. It will be undergoing significant renovations in the coming years but will continue to be an affordable option for the general public.
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