The Millet and District Museum and Archives
The History
The Millet and District Museum and Archives is operated by the Millet and District Historical Society (MDHS), a not for profit organization that has been in existence since 1977.
The Museum came into existence in 1985 and is located in the Town of Millet Administration Building located at the north end of Millet on the west side of Highway 2a. Open six days a week during the summer and three afternoons a week during the winter. The newly accredited Millet Visitor Information Centre is located here as well.
The Museum has one full time staff member, Tracey Leavitt as the co-ordinator. Two summer students are hired each year to provide tourism counselling to visitors and interpretive museum tours. Volunteers do all other work.
In 2001 the MDHS received a certificate of achievement from the Alberta Museums Association for demonstrating a commitment to excellence, professionalism and quality service. In 2004, it received the Community Service Award from the Millet Chamber of Commerce and in 2005 the MDHS received a Heritage Awareness Award from the Alberta Historical Resources Foundation in recognition of exemplary contribution to local, regional and provincial history.
The Activities
The Museum is a busy place. Curriculum based school tours and bus tours are scheduled year round at a nominal fee. This includes interpreters that provide guided walking tours of the local points of interest including the Town’s murals. Archival information is very much in demand by persons from many parts of the world. Enquiries from genealogy buffs as well a historical researchers are almost daily occurrences. The collection of over 800 described archival photographs as well as the paper documents are to be found on the Archives Society of Alberta website http://www.archivesalberta.org. The demand for scanned photos is great.
The Museum is unique in that it has a Veterans Wall that has over 200 photos mounted on it of World Wars I and II Veterans from the Town of Millet and from the 13 surrounding former rural school districts in the area. Military histories of each of these Veterans are available to be read by visitors.
Photos of Veteran's Wall
The Museum is on two levels. On the lower level is found a kitchen, a parlour, and bedroom depicting life during the first half of the 20th Century. To be seen as well are the Hillside School # 702, a Tool Shed, Kenny Kerr’s Office and John Barth’s Barber Shop. A mural of Main Street, Millet, in 1911 is seen on one wall with a “hands on exhibit” of the buildings {all built to scale] that were on and around Main Street in 1911.Children love this exhibit because they can pick up the buildings and move them where they should be. The mural is a guide.
There is also an exhibit in progress on this level – eleven rural one- room schools in the area are being featured. Read through school experiences submitted by former students of those times.
On the upper level are fabrications of exteriors of the Millet Hotel (1906- 1995), the Millet Livery Barn (1917-1942), the Millet Creamery (19240 ca 1970), John West’s Millet Mercantile Store (1904-ca 1942) and the Millet Post Office.
View the virtual exhibit of “Millet through One Hundred Years”
You may also shop in the gift shop here that features Grain Elevator Loonie banks; CD’s from local singer Becky Moonen, and wildlife/car/fantasy posters painted by muralist Ray Bindr, fire wagon mugs and spoon holders. The following new books that can be purchased are “From a Sign Post in a Slough” Stories about Millet written and autographed by local historian, Jean Scott, as well as “With Unfailing Dedication; Rural Teachers in the War Years”, “Gone But Not Forgotten: Tales of the Disappearing Grain Elevators” and “With Unshakeable Persistence: Rural Teachers of the Depression Era written by Elizabeth McLachlan.
It is hoped that everyone will come to Teddy Bears Picnic that opens on December 2 until Feb 17. You can view are over 400 Teddy bears of all shapes, sizes and colors. These bears and their special stories, are to be found everywhere in the Museum. Children will love them and so will adults! Kids can bring their own bears and play in the Kids Corner. Open Tuesday, Wednesdays and Thursday 1- 4 pm or by appointment.
Special opening for Family Day Saturday February 17, 2007 will a special Teddy Bear Picnic and Teddy Bear Workshop. Pre registrations will be taken until Feb 2. Cost $20 per bear. Look for other family fun activities in Millet that weekend.
