Archives
The Windermere Valley Museum’s archival collection relates to the communities of Spillimacheen, Brisco, Edgewater, Radium Hot Springs, Athalmer, Invermere, Panorama, Mineral King Mine, Windermere, Fairmont Hot Springs, Canal Flats, and all spaces in between. It includes newspapers, telephone directories, business records, diaries, scrapbooks, maps, blueprints, and assorted other reports and records related to people and organizations within this area. There are also documents related to forestry and mining in the mountains on either side of the valley (the Rocky Mountains and Purcells), as well as information related to Kootenay National Park.
Photos
There are several thousand photos in the museum’s collection, including images from the Bavin family. Some of our photo collection is available online at British Columbia Regional Digitized History.
Looking for a unique gift or home decor? Digital prints of all of our photos online can be ordered. Contact Us for more detail.
Objects
The Windermere Valley Museum has a large permanent object collection covering many aspects of life in the Windermere Valley. This includes a valued collection of Indigenous artifacts, as well as pieces relating to settlement history and the immigrant experience. These artifacts help to preserve and tell the cultural history of the valley.
Donations
The Windermere Valley Museum welcomes donations of records and unique objects that help us tell the history of the valley. Please contact the museum by emailing wvmuseum1@gmail.com before sending or bringing items to the Museum.
Research Inquiries
The archives is open to the public. The museum has limited staffing, so please call ahead to book an appointment. We do charge non-members a fee for research – $15.00 first half hour: $12.00 for each additional half hour. Photocopies are 25 cents a page.
Please call the museum (250-342-9769) or write to wvmuseum1@gmail.com to make an appointment for your research project.