Revitalized Galt Museum redefined programming during pandemic

By Ry Clarke - Lethbridge Herald Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on January 13, 2023.

Herald file photo The Galt Museum was able to re-open to welcome the public back though its doors in the past year of revitalization through strategic plans coming out of pandemic restrictions.

It has been the year of re-opening and perseverance in 2022 after two years of restrictions and the COVID-19 pandemic, and businesses and organizations were able to open their doors to the public again.

The Galt Museum and Archives was one of those places able to re-open the doors and welcome the public back into its arms. From awards to revitalization through strategic plans, the museum saw the return of patrons missed throughout the pandemic.

“This has been a year of recovery from the pandemic. To not having any visitation, to visitation again. It has been an exciting year, with respect to trying new things and experimenting with new programming, as well as new partnerships with different organizations and groups,” said Darrin Martens, CEO and executive director of the Museum. “What it has brought forward to me is how important (those) community assets that the Galt and Fort Whoop-Up are.”

Using the time away from the public, the Galt took the opportunity during the pandemic to re-evaluate its strategic plan.

“While we were closed, we saw the opportunity to do community consultation. It was an opportunity for us to re-describe our commitment to the community,” said Martens. “That to me is really exciting because it essentially is our playbook for the next few years.”

Among its accomplishments during the pandemic, the Galt won the Canadian Museum Association Award, while also taking home the Alberta Museums Association’s Robert R. Janes Award for Social Responsibility in September 2022.

“It really helped shaped who we are and what we do,” said Martens. “With respect to our Indigenous engagement that we initiated online during the pandemic, we really allowed Indigenous voices to lead the process and the programming. It reflects that we are a leader in the industry locally and provincially. Doing engagement with communities helps us provide the best possible programs and exhibitions for people to learn and grow.”

While many places had to keep their doors closed during the pandemic, the Galt used the opportunity to explore how it gets content out to the public.

“The pandemic was a wonderful time for reflection on what we had done in the past as an organization. It was also a time of great experimentation for us, as we moved a lot of our engagement online in different ways. Giving us that opportunity to look at our values, vision, and our mission. Setting up some important strategic goals to develop our business plan, which we will see fulfilled over the next five years,” said Martens. “In this space people come together. Our Blackfoot name is Akaisamitohkanao’pa, which means ‘eternal gathering place’. It reflects working with our elders in the community. People have always been gravitating towards this space, so being known as an eternal gathering place is very special for us.”

During Truth and Reconciliation Week, Sept. 26-29, the Galt hosted numerous events to highlight Indigenous voices in the community, including online lessons on Blackfoot language taught by Julius Delaney (found online at facebook.com/watch/GaltMuseum/1086959905520869/).

“This is built into our DNA and our work to provide not only opportunities for Indigenous voices to be uplifted, but also creating space for Indigenous people to self-direct how they want to see things develop and grow,” said Martens. “As we grow and develop, looking at underrepresented communities in the institution, it is about building those relationships. In the next coming years we want to develop meaningful long term relationships with people, organizations, and different groups so we can tell better stories that are going to be authentic and coming from those communities themselves.”

Not looking to sit back and watch what is in store for 2023, Martens says the Galt is ready to unveil new programs and ways to bring the community into the museum.

“We will be initiating a new outdoor exhibition program, located on the side of the Galt,” said Martens. “We will be installing a new digital screen with speakers so we will be able to host video art, community art, and different ways of expressing the Galt Museum. We are also going through an update of our exhibition space down at Fort Whoop-Up. The Blackfoot gallery will have a new look to it with the help of our Indigenous curator and many of our Indigenous friends and colleagues, elders, and knowledge keepers helping to contribute.”

With restrictions on the pandemic lifting it allowed guests back into the Galt’s space, and the year has been a success for bringing back opportunities. Seeing Indigenous voices rise up, and strategies coming to fruition, the museum will look forward to the new year and all it brings with it.

“We are finding our communities, whether seniors, families, or youth, they are happy to come through our doors again. We were one of the first to open our doors, we had very strict protocols around masking and sanitation. We were a leader in the museum community and we became trusted during those trying periods of time. We are now seeing people coming through, and the return has been exceptional,” said Martens. “We are not at pre-pandemic levels yet, but I think we feel there is a strong recovery and we feel very supported by the community.”