Village of Girouxville administrator Estelle Girard (from left), Musée Girouxville Museum Society chair Terri Paradis, and volunteer Hélène Couillard were among the many people who worked hard and diligently on the application.

Girouxville’s museum has received special honours as a renowned world-class museum in Alberta. Musée Girouxville Museum is one of the latest museums in Alberta to receive the Recognized Museum designation from the Alberta Museums Association. Musée Girouxville Museum Society earned this designation after participating in the Museum Affirmation Program, a new initiative designed to strengthen the association’s accountability toward the public funds it distributes through grants and programming to the province’s museums. “I am pleased with the Musée Girouxville Museum’s recent designation as a ‘Recognized Museum’ status,” says Village of Girouxville Mayor Carmen Ewing, who also serves as president of Smoky River Tourism Association, and a a museum board member. “I commend and thank the society members who worked so hard for this accomplishment.” Society members who worked on the application since June 2006 are delighted with this achievement. “As a Recognized Museum, this will give us more publicity under the Alberta Museums Association and help us access more grants,” says Terri Paradis, who chairs the society and worked on the application with society board members Hélène Couillard, Christine Girard, Muriel Lorrain, Gisele Dallaire, Louise Couillard, and Estelle Girard who also serves as administrator for the Village of Girouxville. This status will also enable the local regional museum to access other travelling displays from other museums in Alberta. “Our society has been active for 12 years and we work diligently on various projects,” says Paradis. “We consider it a regional museum for the Smoky River and Peace Country regions, and one of the largest in the Peace Country.” A grand opening for the new automotive building is planned for this spring while the society continues to add and update displays. Musée Girouxville Museum Society was highly rated for its service to the region and province. “Alberta Museums Association is pleased to present the Recognized Museum standing to Musée Girouxville Museum,” says executive director Gerry Osmond. “Girouxville Museum Society board worked very hard to reach this goal.” “They showed dedication in participating in a program which will undoubtedly raise the standards for Alberta museums,” says Osmond. To earn this designation, the museum society provided a panel of museum professionals with evidence demonstrating how they are meeting the internationally recognized definition of a museum, says Osmond. The International Council of Museums defines a museum as “a non-profit making, permanent institution in the service of society and of its development, and open to the public, which acquires, conserves, researches, communicates and exhibits, for purposes of study, education, and enjoyment, material evidence of people and their environment”. The Museum Affirmation Program is the first step in ensuring that Alberta’s museum visitors are able to recognize which museums meet the international definition, says Osmond. “I’m very proud that the Girouxville Museum was able to receive this Recognized Museum designation,” says Hector Goudreau, Dunvegan – Central Peace MLA who also serves as Minister Alberta Tourism, Parks, Recreation and Culture, which funds the program through the lottery-funded Alberta Historical Resources Foundation. “Girouxville Museum is one of the best museums in the Peace Country, “says Goudreau. “Whenever I have taken other cabinet and tourism ministers to the Girouxville Museum, they always say it’s a great museum.” “It’s certainly a great asset to the Smoky River region.” This special recognition reflects on the museum society entire community “I’ve always said that the museum society is doing a great job and I commend the people of the Girouxville area for their hard work, “says Goudreau. “It’s getting tougher to become a museum.” Opened in 1969 by Father Père Clément Desrochers OMI, Musée Girouxville Museum features a collection of over 6,000 artifacts recalling native, pioneer and missionary life, and many articles of the early years, and is open from May to September. “He lived in this museum for many years,” says Paradis. For more information on the museum or to schedule a guided tour, phone 323-4252.