Why do museums collect stuff?

Museums act in the public trust to steward tangible and intangible heritage for future generations. Stewardship includes both collecting and conserving. There are two of the essential functions of museums.

What is a museum?

According to the International Council of Museums, a museum is a non-profit, permanent institution in the service of society and its development, open to the public, which acquires, conserves, researches, communicates and exhibits the tangible and intangible heritage of humanity and its environment for the purposes of education, study and enjoyment.

Museums are culture keepers for their community.

Discover more about the collections…

At any given time, only a fraction of the collection is visible to the museum visitor. As in most museums, artefacts rotate between display and storage, thereby prolonging the life of the object, and providing vibrancy to the galleries. At Kelowna Museums, collections are stored behind the scenes in all of our facilities.

Discover more about conservation…

The Ursula Surtees Regional Conservation Laboratory is a state-of-the-art Conservation Laboratory which is located on the ground floor of the Okanagan Heritage Museum. The Conservator helps regional museums throughout BC to care for their cultural heritage. The Conservator is also available to help you preserve your heirlooms!