Civic Museum of Regina

Organization Type: Arts, Culture & Heritage
Address: 1231 Broad St, Regina, Saskatchewan S4R 1Y2
Website: https://www.civicmuseumofregina.com/

The Civic Museum of Regina has been preserving Regina’s history for fifty years. It is the only museum with a mandate to collect materials related to the cultural, social, political and economic growth and development of the peoples of Regina. This is made possible through collecting, documenting, preserving and exhibiting artifacts and other heritage collections.

Early development of the Civic Museum of Regina was initiated by the Regina Exhibition and the Regina and District Old Timers Association in 1958/59. Originally called the Plains Historical Museum Society, and then the Regina Plains Museum, the Museum was incorporated in January of 1960. The Exhibition offered space under the Grandstand to store the growing collection and each year throughout fair week the artifacts were displayed with members of the Old Timers’ Association sharing their memories and stories with visitors to the exhibition grounds.

Eventually the Exhibition needed the space and the Collection had to be relocated. The Laird building, an unused warehouse, was offered as a temporary space, however, the Collection was stored there for the next ten years with no public access. During this time the Old Timers Association sought to secure a permanent home for the collection. Eventually, the City of Regina made available the fourth floor of what is often referred to as, the Old City Hall. In 2005 the Museum moved again, to temporary space on the 2nd Floor of the Scarth Street Mall, at which time the majority of the Collection was moved to a warehouse and again, was inaccessible to the public for several years. In 2012/13 a new home, adequate to house the entire Collection was found, and the work to relocate the entire Collection, gallery and offices commenced. In February 2014, the Museum opened its doors to the public in a new home located in Regina’s Warehouse District.

The museum is currently transitioning from being a static museum, where visitors go to see the collection in a specific building, to being an ecomuseum, with exhibits and activities out in the community.