Kitimat Museum and Archives

Arts-Education-Non-Profit Organizations & Charities

The Kitimat Museum & Archives is a community museum dedicated to preserving and sharing Kitimat’s history. Artifacts and displays document the evolution of the town from the region’s earliest First Nations inhabitants and the first permanent settlement to Kitimat in modern times. Visitors will be able to view ancient fossils dated back to the Jurassic period, learn about the Haisla, who called the region home for centuries, and their traditional arts and technology. Guests will gain an understanding of how the town was born and how the coming of Alcan’s aluminum smelter in the 1950s shaped the growth of Kitimat. Additional displays feature regional geology, flora, and fauna. The temporary gallery offers changing exhibitions of arts, culture and history.

The Museum Gift Shop is a must-see last stop before leaving. The Gift Shop is filled with artwork including framed and unframed photography, acrylic and watercolour paintings, prints and original works and even hand-carved pieces by local artists. The gift shop also features a variety of First Nations artwork, giftware items, Kitimat t-shirts and sweatshirts and Hoselton aluminum sculptures that make wonderful memoirs of your visit to Kitimat.

The Kitimat Museum & Archives hosts ongoing programs and special events. Children’s programs include summer, multicultural, educational and arts programs. The museum frequently hosts special speakers and presentations. The museum also offers numerous resources for teachers and educators.

The Kitimat Museum & Archives is a non-profit organization and is overseen by the Kitimat Museum & Archives Society.

Meet the Kitimat Museum & Archives Staff & the Society Board

Meet the Kitimat Museum & Archives Staff & the Society Board

The Kitimat Museum & Archives began as an idea in 1965. The provincial and federal governments were offering grants for the marking of Canada's centennial in 1967. Though the initial proposal for the centennial project was a park and town square, the idea of a museum was later pitched and adopted. The museum opened in 1969 and continues to operate in its original location.

The museum is governed by a volunteer board of directors who help to oversee its operation and shape its future. Board members have worked tirelessly throughout the years to ensure that the museum will be able to offer services for generations to come. Other volunteers work in other areas of the museum and are an integral part of the museum's ability to provide ongoing programs.

According to museum Curator and Director Louise Avery, this spirit of volunteerism and community-mindedness is typical of the community at large. “Many who live here volunteer and serve in some capacity,” Louise notes, "in more than one venue or organization.” It's one of the things that makes life in Kitimat fulfilling. Louise adds that people are friendly and caring. Of course, the spectacular scenery and quick access to the ocean, rivers and forests also add richness to life in Kitimat.

293 City Centre
Kitimat, BC V8C 1T6

Hours

Summer Hours: (June - August)
Monday to Saturday
10:00 am - 5:00 pm

Winter Hours:
Monday to Friday
10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Saturday
12:00 pm - 4:00 pm