Community Connections: St. Paul Museum

Understanding our history connects us to the diverse people and stories that make up our community. St. Paul Museum helps residents and visitors do exactly that. We were thrilled to give back to this treasured attraction in our hometown. With the help of our Community Connections internet donation, St. Paul Museum has grown its exhibits by partnering with organizations across Canada. Here’s an inside look into how their team has enhanced their programming for rural Albertans.

What’s your mission, purpose, and passion as an organization?

The Musée St. Paul Museum (St. Paul Museum) was established in 1988. Our mandate is to collect, preserve, research, exhibit, and interpret historical artifacts that become available to the museum from the town, district, and Alberta. We serve the residents and visitors of St. Paul and the surrounding area. The museum has a board of 16 members and a large volunteer base from the town and surrounding communities. We strive to work closely with community organizations to enhance our town and provide a positive sense of connection. Our goal is to represent all the cultures from our community that has contributed to our local history.

How has MCSnet’s donation and complimentary internet connection left a positive impact on your organization?

It has enabled us to collect more information from a wider audience! We have been able to bring awareness of St. Paul and its history to Canadians across the nation and participate in other projects from across the country.

Why are you enthusiastic about helping Albertans?

Thanks to the great support network in our community, we give back to Albertans through our annual Open House, children’s activities, Alberta Open Farm Days, and other such events. As we learn more about diverse cultures and their needs, we want to bring awareness of the challenges faced by others and explore ways to overcome these difficulties, including our journey of reconciliation with our Indigenous community.  

In what ways has the internet opened up opportunities for your organization?

It has made it easier for us to find grants that are needed to fund our various exhibits and activities. The internet also enabled us to continue serving our community during the difficult COVID-19 pandemic. It also has helped us work with other organizations, such as St. Paul Family & Community Support Services (FCSS), and other museums, such as Haying in the 30s and the Mallaig Museum! We were able to easily share the loan agreement with individuals in other cities and towns, so we could display exhibits such as the vintage dental display, which is on loan from a family from Calgary. 

Can you tell us your favourite story about how you’re making a difference?

We have found that since we have been offering regular children’s activities, families can enjoy an affordable experience while they are learning about the vast history of the St. Paul community. Children are often excited to return and bring their relatives to show what they have learned. We love seeing their enthusiasm for the history of the community! 

What does making real connections in your community mean to you?

It’s important for us to make connections in the community so we can create a sense of unity! We have a diverse culture, and as we all work together, we learn to understand our unique people and their needs that we can help fulfill. 

If you had one piece of advice for organizations looking to improve connections in rural Alberta, what would it be?

It would be to reach out and introduce your organization to your community and beyond. Exploring partnerships and building awareness of your mission and mandate will help to build relationships that will strengthen over time and provide further support, especially in our rural communities. The ability to harness the internet to grow these connections and to save on the expense of travel will save on resources. It will also build a powerful network of like-minded organizations that can assist in furthering common goals.

What kind of future do you imagine for rural Alberta?

Our hope is to ensure that rural Alberta can be successful in creating strong communities that will survive the ever-changing environment and economic pressures!

Connect your people to everything that matters

The internet keeps us tapped into valuable information and relationships across the country. Could your non-profit benefit from our Community Connections program? Learn what kinds of organizations qualify and how our donations work.

MCSnet Team