Identity area
Type of entity
Authorized form of name
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
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.