Travelling museum stopped in Kindersley 50 years ago

By Joan Janzen

Newspaper archives show a travelling museum rolled into Kindersley 50 years ago, bringing exhibits and library programming to the community for a full week in February 1976.

The Clarion reported at the time that the Manitoba Museum of Man and Nature — with support from the National Museum of Canada and the Parkland Regional Library Service — was touring a “museum on rails” made up of two Canadian National Railway cars.

The travelling exhibit Parkland ’74 is shown in a Canadian National Railway rail car in this January 1976 photo ahead of its scheduled stop in Kindersley from Feb. 4 to 10, 1976. (The Clarion)

One rail car served as an exhibit space featuring maps, photographs and artifacts highlighting changes in the Parkland region. The second was set up as a library activity centre where visitors could watch films and slide shows and take part in classroom-style activities. Library materials were supplied by the Parkland Regional Library Service.

Museum staff travelled with the train, providing commentary in the exhibit car and leading programs in the activity centre.

The travelling museum was scheduled to be open nine hours a day for seven consecutive days.

The exhibit, known as Parkland ’74, was set to be in Kindersley from Feb. 4 to 10, 1976.