Community Ideas Guide the Museum

Earlier in 2011, the Galt Museum & Archives asked the community in and around Lethbridge, “What exhibit could the Galt do that would bring you to the museum?” Seventy five people responded through direct contact with staff and through Web 2.0 options. Posters and tabletop cards with QR codes were distributed to coffee shops around town, staff hosted a booth at the local Farmers’ Market and asked people at many different gatherings to participate, the Galt Website invited people to leave their ideas, and paper forms could be filled out in the museum.

The Galt develops a three year plan of exhibits to be shown in its 1300 sq. ft. Discovery Hall Special Exhibit Gallery and in two smaller Hallway Gallery spaces. The current plan will end in December of 2012. The new exhibit ideas were gathered to guide our choices for the 2013 to 2015 schedule.

A broad range of ideas poured in and over 100 were recorded. In the fall, all the ideas were discussed with the staff and through an in-depth brainstorming session, they were reviewed and organized into possible exhibit themes. Some of the ideas included topics such as Diversity and Immigration in southern Alberta, Awesome Pets, Swimming, Energy use and concerns, local Entrepreneurs and Innovators, the influence of Children’s Literature, Ukrainian Weddings, Women’s Stories from Legacy Ridge, Beauty Products, the history of the Fire and EMS departments, Gardening, and the celebration of the Galt Museum’s 50th Anniversary. These were presented to the Galt Board of Directors for their responses.

Sifting through the distilled themes produced a draft three year schedule of major and smaller exhibits that all the staff will once again review. Travelling exhibits will be booked and In-house exhibits will be developed all based on the community’s ideas.