A Day in the Life at the Whyte Museum Archives
What do you picture when you think of an archive?
Dusty shelves and old books?
A dark, cool basement that’s impossible to find?
A librarian with thick glasses and a stern, silencing stare?
These may be accurate descriptions of some archives, but not
at the Whyte Museum.
Allow us to share with you a Day in the Life at the Whyte
Museum Archives & Library…
Come visit the Whyte
Museum Archives & Library for yourself, discover Banff's history, and join
our community.
The Reference Archivist opens
the doors to the Archives. A historical film is playing on the television by
the door to entice visitors inside. Natural light streams into the front area
where reproductions of photographs from the collection hang on the wall. Mount
Rundle is visible through the large windows.
Keen researchers arrive,
prepared with their lists of materials that they are eager to examine. Visitors
peak around the doorway, curious to see what this secluded room may contain.
The Reference Archivist heads
for the double doors that lead into the Archives & Library's storage rooms.
The door opens and the researchers and visitors get a brief glimpse of floor to
ceiling books on clean metal shelving units. The door closes and the Reference
Archivist stands alone amongst the shelves. Manuscript boxes, books,
geographical maps, VHS tapes, audio recordings and a plethora of other
materials are all contained on those shelves, but this is only a small taste of
what is stored in the vaults below.
A glance at the pink slip of
paper tells the Reference Archivist that this researcher is looking for a
family photo album and some letters that once belonged to a resident of Banff.
After retrieving a few boxes for the researcher the Reference Archivist returns
to the desk to respond to inquiries that have come via email.
Over the next two hours the
Reference Archivist passes back and forth through the double doors that lead to
the vaults, retrieving boxes, video cassettes, and large folders of maps.
Visitors share stories about their great-grandparents' adventures in the
Rockies, as they search for any trace of them: a photo, a summit note, even a
signature in a guestbook.
The Whyte Museum Archives
& Library is a place where old stories are discovered and new stories are
told and shared. It is rare to walk into the Archives and not stumble upon a
group of strangers excitedly discussing a letter, a map, or a photograph.
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