Fonds 271 - Yellowknife Museum Society fonds

Title and statement of responsibility area

Title proper

Yellowknife Museum Society fonds

General material designation

  • Cartographic material
  • Architectural drawing
  • Graphic material
  • Textual record

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Level of description

Fonds

Repository

Northwest Territories Archives

Reference code

271

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Class of material specific details area

Statement of scale (cartographic)

Statement of projection (cartographic)

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Statement of scale (architectural)

Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)

Dates of creation area

Date(s)

  • 1901-1974 (Creation)
    Creator
    Yellowknife Museum Society

Physical description area

Physical description

10 architectual drawings
714 photographs : b&w and col., prints and negatives
ca. 14.4 cm of textual material
1 map

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Archival description area

Name of creator

Yellowknife Museum Society

Administrative history

The idea to establish a museum for the preservation of natural and historical materials of the Northwest Territories was originally conceived at a meeting of the Home and School Association of Yellowknife in 1952. After making use of space in Yellowknife school halls and assembly rooms, it became apparent that there was interest and material enough to warrant a separate museum building. The Yellowknife Museum Society was incorporated on July 14, 1958 as a vehicle to coordinate fund raising for a permanent museum facility in Yellowknife. The official functions of the society were: 1) To preserve and exhibit specimens of flora and fauna and objects having archaeological interest; 2) To preserve and mark buildings, structures and sites having historic significance; and 3) To carry on such other functions as are usual to a museum. In 1960, construction began on the Museum of the North; it opened in 1963 and was operated by the Yellowknife Museum Society. In November 1970, the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories and the Yellowknife Museum Society signed an agreement to transfer the assets of the Yellowknife Museum Society to the Government of the Northwest Territories; at this time, the Government of the Northwest Territories assumed operations for the Museum of the North.

Custodial history

The photographs in the fonds were collected by the Yellowknife Museum Society from a variety of sources; the original sources of most of the photographs are unknown. The responsibility for all materials of the Museum of the North was transferred from the Yellowknife Museum Society to the Government of the Northwest Territories in 1970. The textual records in the fonds include records created both before and after this transfer. The records were then transferred from the Museum of the North to the newly established Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre in 1979.

Scope and content

This fonds consists of 810 photographs, 14.4 cm of textual material, 10 architectural drawings, and 1 map that encompass the records and the photographic collection of the Yellowknife Museum Society. The records, dating from 1953 to 1974, include the certificate of incorporation, minutes, by-laws, correspondence, annual reports, museum procedures and inventory, information on opening of the museum, a brief on archives to the NWT Council, and the agreement transferring the museum to the Government of the Northwest Territories. Also included are 1 map and 10 architectural plans of the Museum of the North. The photograph collection from the Yellowknife Museum Society is comprised of 807 images dating from [1875] to 1970, collected from a variety of sources and documenting the history of the Northwest Territories. Themes include: Dene and Inuit peoples; mining activities; missions; transportation; Royal Canadian Mounted Police; oil exploration; Centennial celebrations; and settlements. Locations covered include: Aklavik; Beechey Island; Pond Inlet; Pangnirtung; Jean Marie River; Norman Wells; Fort McPherson; Fort Simpson; Fort Norman; Fort Resolution; Hay River; Port Radium; Reindeer Station; Chesterfield Inlet; Lake Harbour; Herschel Island; Port Burwell; Rankin Inlet; Sachs Harbour; Arctic Red River; and Fort Smith.

Notes area

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    Script of material

      Location of originals

      Availability of other formats

      Restrictions on access

      No access restrictions.

      Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication

      Finding aids

      There is a handwritten finding aid for accession N-1979-055. The rest of the records are described at the item or file level in the database.

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      Rights

      Copyright on most of the records is unknown. Some photographs are in the public domain and copyright on some of the textual records is held by the Government of the Northwest Territories. See lower level records for details.

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