Seven museum will split more than $160,000
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
A museum dedicated to Manitoba’s agricultural history will receive government funding.
The Manitoba Agricultural Museum in Austin is one of seven museums sharing $166,600 to capture and preserve the province’s history.
In total, each museum will receive $23,800.
The locations are receiving the funding as part of Manitoba 150, which recognized Manitoba’s 150th anniversary in 2020.
The Manitoba 150 Host Committee and provincial government work together to provide funding for events and projects to help mark the occasion.
“There is no better time than in the celebration of our sesquicentennial to provide additional support to Manitoba’s Signature Museums so they can continue to share the stories of our past, which provide important learning opportunities for Manitobans and visitors of all ages, Premier Kelvin Goertzen said on Sept. 20 at the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada.
Along with the ag and aviation museums, Le Musée de Saint-Boniface Museum in Winnipeg, the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum in Brandon, the New Iceland Heritage Museum in Gimli, the Mennonite Heritage Village in Steinbach and the Canadian Fossil Discovery Centre in Morden will also receive provincial grants.
With the grants finalized, ag museum representatives will be tasked with identifying areas where the money could be beneficial.
"We'll need to discuss and prioritize projects which can benefit from these funds, and I think our board and organization will look at applying the grant money toward a long-term project," Angie Klym, president of the museum, told Portage Online. "Perhaps an exhibit, as a lasting legacy to commemorate Manitoba 150, or we may also look at some of our school and youth programming.