To celebrate the last 40 years of telling the stories of the Creston Valley, the local museum is opening a brand new exhibit.
“We’ve invited members of the community to tell the stories we haven’t told,” said Creston Museum manager Tammy Bradford. “Stories about coming to Canada, of being a new member of the community, of things left behind and things gained in Creston.”
The community-curated collection called “40 Years, 40 Voices” will debut during the Creston Valley Blossom Festival weekend, officially opening to the public on Saturday, May 20 following the parade at approximately 12:30 p.m.
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In 2022, the museum received a $5,000 Multiculturalism Grant from the provincial government to develop the exhibit. According to the province, the purpose of the funding was to “help them tackle discrimination and enhance the province’s diversity”.
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“Kader tells us about his first driving experience. Aaron is sharing some of his unique artwork. Anne describes her journey to Canada,” said Bradford. “These are just a few examples of the presentations people have created for this exhibit. Some of the stories were inspired by objects in the museum’s collections. Others reflect people’s memories and experiences in their home countries or communities.”
The exhibit will showcase what’s important to the people of the Creston Valley and also include micro-exhibits about historic cultural communities in the area, including Sikh, Black, and Chinese communities, and a Japanese family forcibly relocated during World War II.
There’s even a place for visitors to continue adding to the exhibit by sharing their stories.
Admission is by donation. The museum will be open during the Blossom Festival from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday, after the parade until 5 p.m. on Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday and Monday.
Learn more at crestonmuseum.ca or the Creston Museum Facebook page.
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