 WDM History and
Operations |
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History The Western Development Museum had its beginnings in the mid 1940's. At that time, people across Saskatchewan became concerned that the farm machinery of the pioneers was fast disappearing. In 1945, the Saskatchewan Government charged the Minister of Natural Resources and Industrial Development with collecting early historic items. The large number of donations led to the establishment of a number of collection depots, usually surplus aircraft hangars, to store the artifacts. On April 2, 1949 the Saskatchewan Legislature gave royal assent to a bill to create a Western Development Museum. The hanger in North Battleford opened to the public in 1947, followed by Saskatoon in 1949. In 1951, the federal government requested the return of its hangar at the Saskatoon airport. A surplus hangar was moved from Swift Current and relocated to a site on 11th Street. The hangar in Yorkton was opened to the public in 1951. The continued growth of the Museum resulted in the need for new facilities. In 1963, the North Battleford branch was moved into another relocated hangar on a new site at the junction of Highways 16 and 40. Three years later, a pioneer village was begun at the North Battleford site. In 1972, modern buildings were built for the branches in Yorkton and Saskatoon and in 1976 a new museum was opened in Moose Jaw. To alleviate the constant need for storage and administration space, the Curatorial Centre building was opened in 1984. Operations The Museum is governed by an autonomous Board of Directors, appointed by Order-in-Council. The Board hires the Executive Director, to whom all other staff report. A Manager at each branch is responsible for the day-to-day operation of that branch. The WDM currently operates with a curatorial and administrative staff based
at the Curatorial Centre in Saskatoon, and with the four branches in Moose Jaw,
North Battleford, Saskatoon and Yorkton supported by a contingent of full-time,
temporary and seasonal staff. Average annual attendance at the the four Western Development Museum exhibit branches, including school groups, is about 200,000. Artifacts & DisplaysThe full WDM collection exceeds 83,000 artifacts. Approximately half are on display at the four museum branches and half are in storage or under restoration at the Curatorial Centre in Saskatoon.Buildings & Exhibit SpaceThe Western Development Museum provincial headquarters is housed in the Curatorial Centre at 2935 Melville Street in Saskatoon. The four WDM branches provide a grand total of 307,100 square feet of covered area - 262,875 square feet for exhibit/programs and 44,225 square feet of office and storage space. Total land area is 165 acres, slightly larger than the original prairie farm unit of a quarter section (160 acres).Associations & OrganizationsThe Saskatchewan Western Development Museum is an active member of the Canadian Museums Association, Museums Association of Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan Heritage Collections Conservation Committee and Canadian Heritage Information Network.The WDM branches are also active members of local tourism and development associations, chambers of commerce, exhibition associations and other community organizations. VolunteersVolunteers perform much needed services within the Museum operations. Over 1400 volunteers are involved in a variety of events and activities at the four branches and the Curatorial Centre.MembershipThe Members' Program at the Saskatchewan Western Development Museum was begun in 1983. The membership program increases awareness and a sense of ownership of our Western Canadian history and heritage in general, and of the Western Development Museum in particular. In applying for support from various agencies, we cite our members as direct evidence of existing support for our Museum.We have over 1100 members, a number which has held fairly steady over the years. Since each individual membership allows a partner and dependent children the same benefits, the actual number of members is much higher. The program is coordinated through the WDM Curatorial Centre by the Education/Extension Coordinator. |