February Artist of the Month

"Pandas in their environment" by Sherri Beattie

It is fitting that Sherri Beattie is our Artist of the Month for February as it is a month to remember the importance of  family connections, family activities and family history. Sherri's work will have great appeal for children visiting our current exhibit Toy Stories. She likes to paint images of animals in bright acrylics.







As a member of the Peace of Art artists, she has included three pieces in the Infinity exhibit at the Library Art Gallery. While these works still depict her love of colour, the repetitive patterns she has created are an intriguing departure from her usual subject matter. Take time to walk through this eclectic and expressive exhibit from artists of the Peace of Art club and delight in viewing how creative the folks of the Peace are. Our artists help document who we were and are today as well as provide a commentary about some of the important issues of the time.

Family and great communities!

Family Day in Alberta is weekend filled with cultural, historical and recreational opportunities. The Museum offers something to add to this compliment of activities.


SS DA Thomas Steamboat was built in the
West Peace River Shipyards in 1916

The Historic Places Committee is holding a second Jane Jacobs Walk on February 16th, 2015 in Lower West Peace River.  This area was once a community in its own right, distinct from Peace River Crossing. It boasted banks, stores, blacksmiths and a hotel until the railway bridge was completed in 1918. That precipitated a relocation of its business community to the Crossing where greater traffic developed. Now a residential neighborhood, it is a unique place to live. Our walk will look at the special places found here and talk about the historical profile of this location.
Meet us at the Lower West Peace Playground on 91st Street at 1pm. Be prepared to walk for about 1.5 hours and we urge everyone to dress for the weather.

Beaded moccasin tongues or vamps

Staying with families and the value of creating memories together, we are pleased to host FNMI Coordinator Tanys Oxman on February 21st and 28th, 2015 for Aboriginal Art and the Child. This two part series is open to youth ages 7 to 12 years. They will create modern day wampum belts and par fleche bags while learning the cultural and historical significance associated with each object.  The sessions are free with the price of admission $2  and we ask you to pre-register as only 12 places are available.


For more information about either of these events, please call us at 780-624-4261 or email at lgloor@peaceriver.ca   Our public hours are 10am to 5pm Monday to Saturday.

Take an Interpretive Walk with the Museum

This upcoming Monday, February 17, 2014, join the Heritage Places Committee (HPC) and the Museum on a winter stroll along 86th Avenue in Peace River.

The third Monday in February, since 1990, has been known to Albertans as Family Day. It is an opportunity to spend time with family and sharing personal histories has a great way of bringing people together. It also happens to be History Day across Canada.  Families and history are a natural pairing. We invite you and your family to walk with us and learn why the Parkview Subdivision (86th Avenue), a post-war subdivision in Peace River's north end has historic significance to our community.  This neighbourhood, conceived, financed and built by local businessman Oscar Moro, was built between 1958 and 1962.

In post-war times, the idea of suburban development was relatively new, and, as yet, unheard of in Peace River. Mr. Moro, though, realized that this subdivision would use previously underutilized land, provide affordable housing to returning veterans and alleviate the housing crisis that was occurring in Peace River.  It was a time of prosperity influenced by much oil and gas exploration in the Peace Country and it was those families that in large part become the first homeowners.

We will meet at the parking area across from the Kinsmen Funland park at 1:30 pm. Please dress for the weather and bring your family and your friends.

For more information, please call the Museum at 780-624-4261 or email us at museum@peaceriver.net.

A transition on 86th Avenue from the 1950s to the 2010s.