The Souris Valley (SV) Museum has kicked off what it expects will be a busy 2016 season.
Opening day for the museum, and the neighbouring Visitor Information Centre, was on May 20.
Their first event of the year, the annual Cowpokes and Cookouts, was held the next day. Children enjoyed such activities as rope making, rope tossing and crafts. A barbecue lunch was served.
There was also a baked beans cooking competition that attracted five entrants: Dolores Amos, Diana Chisholm, Virginia Finstad, Kaitlin Taves and Martina Veneziano.
It’s the first in a number of activities at the museum this summer. A Plant a Garden Workshop was offered on May 24. Children enjoyed a tour of the museum, created some crafts and made a miniature garden they can take home.
The museum’s Pioneer Day Camps and Discovery Day Camps for children will return this year. Pioneer Day Camps will be July 4 to 8, July 11 to 15, July 18 to 22 and Aug. 8 to 12. They are for children ages five to 10.
“These are week-long camps that are for doing activities at the museum,” said Mark Veneziano, the museum’s director and cutator.
The Discovery Day Camps, for children ages eight to 12, will be offered on July 28 and 29, and August 3 and 4.
“Kids are welcome to come by and spend two full days, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the museum, and we go on some day trips with the kids,” said Veneziano.
Hands on History Sundays will take place for families to come to the museum on July 3 and 17, and Aug. 7.
As part of the 2016 Saskatchewan Summer Games in Estevan, a pioneer games challenge will be offered for families at the museum on July 27.
“During the Saskatchewan Summer Games, we will be having a small display on sports in Estevan,” said Veneziano.
The end of the summer activities will be the Pioneer Fun Day on Aug. 13, which will include a number of old-fashioned games; and a senior social on Aug. 17, which will allow seniors to experience all that the museum has to offer, and enjoy some entertainment.
The museum has some other events planned, but details have yet to be finalized.
“We’re trying to always have something going on at the museum this summer while we’re open,” said Veneziano.
The museum’s main building boasts a wide variety of exhibits and displays from the late Stan Durr’s collection, that pay tribute to life in the Estevan area in the early 20th century. The building also features some antique and historical vehicles, including Estevan’s first fire truck.
There is also the Schneller Schoolhouse, the Durr Homestead, an old cook car, several other historical buildings and some antique mining equipment.
Veneziano is entering his first full year as the curator and director at the museum. He joined the staff last August, and is looking forward to this year.
“I got here at the tail end of the season last year,” said Veneziano. “I’m excited that we will have a little bit more to offer the community this year.”
Jocelyn Anderson is the museum’s administrator. Two summer students have been hired: Macie Littlejohn is the education assistant and Darian King is the curatorial assistant.
“Both are going to be working on projects here at the museum,” said Veneziano. “Macie is doing our camps and all of our one-day programs, and Darian is helping me by going through the collection and creating more signage for the museum in our displays.”
Two more summer employees will be starting in July and August.
The museum is slated to remain open until September. The weather will dictate when it closes for the season, but Veneziano noted that last year they were able to remain open until the end of September.
