Grand Coteau Heritage & Cultural Centre

i Imagine Arts Camp 2024

i Imagine Arts Camp 2024

i imagine Arts Camp (formerly Evergreen Arts Camp) is in Shaunavon August 12th to 16th, 2024! Mark your calendars, because the week is going to be bigger and brighter than EVER before!

The art camp experience will emphasize the discovery of visual and performing art forms for youth, providing mentoring by professional artists, and a whole lot of fun. Send your kid for the time of their life this summer as they imagine, create, and share their artistic gifts in a safe, and engaging environment. Options are available for ages 6 to 18!

REGISTRATIONS ARE OPEN - Complete the form here

Please note that full payment must be received in order for a child’s spot to be confirmed within the camp.

We can’t wait to share more about the name change, our 2024 artists, our theme and vision, and the new exciting things in store for the year!

IN THE GALLERY: Tepakohp/7

IN THE GALLERY: Tepakohp/7

IN THE GALLERY: March 1 to April 23

Tepakohp/7 is a multi-artist exhibition which celebrates the stories and experiences of the many Nations of Indigenous Women living on this land we call Saskatchewan. The artists – Melanie Monique Rose, Stacey Fayant, Marcy Friesen, Larissa Kitchemonia, Donna the Strange, Brandy Jones, & Audie Murray - share their stories through their art to amplify, inspire and educate about the diverse relationships and transactions we have to this land and each other.

Tepakohp is the Néhiyaw word for seven and has deep significance for Indigenous communities throughout the world. For example, the Haudenosaunee’s (Iroquois) Seventh Generation Principle is a philosophy where decisions made in the present should result in a sustainable future for seven generations to come. Shared by Indigenous nations here on Turtle Island the Seven Grandfather Teachings of Love, Respect, Bravery, Truth, Honesty, Humility and Wisdom are a set of guiding principles to live a good life. As we look towards the future, it is noteworthy that for many families it is now the 7th generation since the Indian Act was frst signed in Canada in 1876.

ME TIME

ME TIME ME TIME

Small but mighty! Discover the power of MIcrogreens at our upcoming Me Time workshop hosted by Prairie Roads Market ! When: March 28th at 6pm Where: 405 Centre Street FREE | Drop-in! Uncover the dense nutritional profiles of various microgreens and how they pack vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants into tiny leaves!

Bookmark Making Workshop - Join us Thursday, April 4 at 6:30pm at the Shaunavon Library for a relaxing evening of crafting.

UPCOMING PROGRAMS/EVENTS

UPCOMING PROGRAMS/EVENTS

Wax Carving Workshop March 21st 2024 6-9pm at the Grand Coteau Centre

Coffee Chat - First Friday of the month! Coming up on April 5th @ 10am at the Grand Coteau Centre

Singalong - 3rd and 4th Fridays of the month! Next up April 19 & 26 at 10am at the Grand Coteau Centre

Grand Coteau Heritage & Cultural Centre

BOOMTOWN OR BUST Escape Adventure

BOOMTOWN OR BUST Escape Adventure

BOOMTOWN OR BUST Escape Adventure invites you to travel back in time for a real life Shaunavon escape adventure you won’t soon forget!

You and your friends have only 45 minutes to find the clues, solve the riddles and complete the challenge!

COST: $20 per person - At this time, we require a minimum of $100 per session if you have fewer than 5 people. Max group size is 8 people. All proceeds go towards the Grand Coteau Museum and Programs

Are you up for the challenge? Book your session! Contact the Grand Coteau Centre at 306-297-3882 or stop by the museum at 440 Centre Street for bookings & if you have any questions.

The History of the Grand Coteau!

The History of the Grand Coteau!

The Grand Coteau Museum was established in 1931 by a group of volunteers interested in preserving our history before it disappeared. The Museum has a rich history of it’s own and through the past 90 years has continued to grow it’s collection and it’s program offerings to the community. It has expanded to become the Grand Coteau Heritage & Cultural Centre which includes our natural history and heritage museum collection, an art gallery, the Shaunavon Branch of the Chinook Regional Library, as well as a community meeting space.

Visit the GCHCC History page to learn more about our museum’s history - including why we have the name “Grand Coteau”!

THE GRAND COTEAU HERITAGE & CULTURAL CENTRE SERVES AS SHAUNAVON'S TOURIST INFORMATION CENTRE

440 Centre Street
Phone: (306)297-3882

Hours of Operation:
May 1 to June 30: Monday to Friday 9:00a.m. - 5:00p.m.
July 1 to September 17: Monday to Saturday 9:00a.m. - 5:00p.m.
September 18 to April 30: Tuesday to Friday 9:00 a.m. - 5:00p.m.

Admission is Free, but Donations are Appreciated.

The Grand Coteau Heritage & Cultural Centre houses the Shaunavon Branch of the Chinook Regional Library, an art gallery, natural history and heritage rooms as well as a community meeting room.

The Centre is open year round and continues to provide visitors with a variety of cultural experiences.

The Grand Coteau Centre is a hub of activity, as evidenced by the number of vistors which reached an astonishing 10,000 in 2008.

Photograph Archives Online

Photograph Archives Online

The Grand Coteau Centre archives includes over 3,300 photographs relating to the history of Shaunavon and area. We are pleased to now make this collection available online.

High resolution digital files of these images are available for purchase from the Grand Coteau Centre. Please contact us for ordering information.

Click here to view the photograph archives online.

Shaunavon Library

Shaunavon Library

The Shaunavon Branch of the Chinook Regional Library is located in the GCHCC, adjacent to our gallery space. The library is another hub of our community and offers free internet access, regular children’s programming, IT help, computer sessions and much more. The Shaunavon Library is an inviting and cozy locale for meeting friends and relaxing with a good book.
The friendly librarians will be happy to help you with research and computer usage. Interlibrary loans are available for titles not currently held on location.

Phone: 306-297-3844

Hours of Operation:
Monday 12:00 Noon - 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday 9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Wednesday 12:00 Noon. - 5:00 p.m.
Thursday 12:00 Noon - 5:00 p.m.
Friday 9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Saturday 12:00 Noon - 5:00 p.m.

Heritage Walking Tour

Heritage Walking Tour

Walk with us through a part of Shaunavon’s history.
Staff and volunteers of the Grand Coteau Heritage & Cultural Centre have created a walking tour of some of Shaunavon’s historic buildings. The tour features 20 historic sites, all located within walking distance of beautiful downtown Shaunavon.

Printed tour brochures are available at the Grand Coteau Heritage & Cultural Centre (440 Centre Street), or you can click here to be directed to the Heritage Walking Tour page on this website.

Take a walk through Shaunavon's History!

Art Gallery

Art Gallery

Our spacious 1000 ft. gallery features art exhibitions by local, Saskatchewan and Canadian artists. Many of our shows are from the Organization of Saskatchewan Arts Council’s (OSAC) Arts on the Move program. A full listing of OSAC visual arts touring exhibitions can be found on their website, osac.ca
New exhibitions are featured every one or two months. Exhibitions are subject to change without advance notice.
A donation box and guest book are located in the gallery. Please be sure to sign your name and leave us your comments regarding the current show!
GCHCC works collaboratively with the Shaunavon Arts Council to present visual and performing arts in our community. Please check out the Shaunavon Arts Council page for information on the current performing arts schedule.

2023 Exhibitions (confirmed to date):

2022 Exhibitions:

Museum - Natural History Room

Museum - Natural History Room
Natural Sciences: The GCHCC natural history collection features mammal and bird specimens common to southwest Saskatchewan. The natural history collection was the focus of the Museum during its early years and continues to appeal to tourists and local residents. Many of the specimens date back to the origins of the museum in the 1930’s. Many of the exhibits are displayed in a diorama depicting the natural habitat of the species on display.

Museum - Heritage Exhibits

Museum - Heritage Exhibits
The Museum houses archaeological material from a primary butchering site in South Western Saskatchewan that contains bison material and some stone tools.
Our early settlement collection features artifacts significant to Shaunavon’s history. Permanent exhibits include The Crystal Bakery, Agriculture, One-Room Schoolhouse, Everett Baker, Communication, Illerbrun Church, Textiles, Home Life, Work Life, Early Policing and General Store.
A photographic exhibit entitled, “Why Here”, highlights the establishment of Shaunavon in 1913. From bald prairie to town status in less than six months, Shaunavon earned the title of Boomtown. Other exhibits we have displayed at this time are Millinery and Shaunavon Memorabilia. A future permanent photographic Coal Mining exhibit is under construction.

Community Meeting Room

Community Meeting Room

A meeting room is located in the basement of the GCHCC, and is available for rental. The space can accommodate up to 50 individuals. A television, DVD player, slide projector and screen, coffee pots and washrooms are available for use upon request. The space is well-lit with a great deal of natural light as well.

Rental Rates:
Full Day: $75 plus GST
Half Day: $40 plus GST
60% reduction for Non Profit Groups Call 306-297-3882 for booking information.

Artist Rates:
Full Day: $50 plus GST
Half Day: $25 plus GST

Education/Archives/Research

Education/Archives/Research

Education:
Art Programming: Many of our monthly touring art exhibitions come to us through the Organization of Saskatchewan Arts Council’s Arts on the Move program. Please see our Art Gallery information above for a complete schedule of upcoming Art Gallery Exhibitions.

School Tours of our museum pioneer and natural history room exhibits can be arranged at any time by contacting our Program Coordinator, Tammy Willman at 306-297-3882.

Archives:

  • The entire collection of The Shaunavon Standard newspaper, dating back to 1913
  • Obituaries
  • Photographs including collections from local residents, past and present
  • Old town photos
  • History Books - a large collection of history books from all over the Southwest and Saskatchewan

Research Requests:
GCHCC offers research services concerning individuals, organizations and/or businesses from Shaunavon’s past. The Centre’s staff & volunteers can assist individuals or organizations seeking this information and we will attempt to fill each request as best as possible.
Please contact us if you wish to discover more about Shaunavon’s past.
Donations for research requests are welcomed!

STAFF AND CONTACT INFORMATION:

Director of Culture: Joanne Gregoire
email: directorgchcc@sasktel.net
Contact Joanne for sponsorship and donation opportunities and general information about the Centre.

Program Coordinator: Tammy Willman
email: programsgchcc@sasktel.net
Contact Tammy for information on gallery exhibitions, school tours and community programs

Collections Manager: Kelly Attrell
email: heritagegchcc@sasktel.net
Contact Kelly if you have any questions or donations related to the Centre’s historic, archival and natural history collections

Research Volunteer: Kathleen East

About the Grand Coteau Centre

About the Grand Coteau Centre

The Grand Coteau Heritage & Cultural Centre is located in the heart of Shaunavon, Saskatchewan. The Centre houses a museum, art gallery and the Shaunavon Branch of the Chinook Regional Library. Our collection is multi-disciplinary, including artifacts relating to the human history of Shaunavon, fine arts and natural history specimens of the area. A variety of programs and tours are offered in association with our collection, making us more than a collection of objects. Tours are offered on a regular basis throughout the year to school students and can also be provided to other groups upon request. Through our educational programming, we are able to provide opportunities for our public to enjoy the arts, as well as the natural history and the human history of our area.

GCHCC is also a popular locale for community events and special programming including Family Day, I Love Shaunavon Day, Canada Day, Boomtown Days, Halloween and the Parade of Lights.

Board of Directors:
Brent Michelson - President & Shaunavon Town Councillor
Robert Anderson - Vice President
Jenna Hiebert - Secretary
Nolan Klassen - Shaunavon Town Councillor
Sandy Fritz
Tara Lingenfelter
Marla Poisson
Hester Groenewald
Penny Kirkpatrick
Andrew Robertson

History:
The name of Shaunavon’s Museum, “Grand Coteau”, comes from the title “le grand coteau” or grand slope of the Missouri, as applied by the explorer Le Verendrye to the area stretching from Kincaid to Govenlock.

The Grand Coteau Heritage & Cultural Centre officially opened Saturday, July 12, 1980, but had its origin as the “Grand Coteau Museum” which was organized on December 6, 1931 at a meeting convened in the court house in Shaunavon.

During the period from 1931 to 1957 the exhibits were housed in one room of the old two roomed school house on the school grounds just west of the older brick school. The period from 1936 to 1957 was a dormant one and only F.O. Bransted was left with enough interest to take visitors to view the exhibits.

In 1957 the work of reviving the Grand Coteau Museum was undertaken. The School Board gave the building to the Town of Shaunavon for $1.00. The Chamber of Commerce, with financial help from the Town and the Shawnees, moved the building to its present site in the small park on Centre Street and renovated the building. C. Busse, acting for the Chamber of Commerce, organized this phase of the work. The operation of the museum was turned over to a management committee with representation from the Town, Chamber of Commerce, Public School Board, High School Board, Separate School Board, School Unit No. 7, Shawnees and two members at large. This management committee began their work on July 2, 1959 and the museum was again officially opened in 1963, at the time of the 50th anniversary of the Town of Shaunavon. Even at that time the thought of incorporating the library was considered. In 1972 the basement was completed with grants from the Federal Government and the Town of Shaunavon.

In 1973 preliminary plans were started to provide more space as it was obvious that a heritage type of museum was needed by the community. In June of 1976 the cataloguing of all exhibits was started with the help of a special project grant from the Department of Culture and Youth and the able management of Janice Douglas, an anthropology student from the University of Alberta. The natural history cataloguing was completed in 1977 by the management committee.

In November 1977 the Town Council called a meeting to hear presentations on the announced Neighbourhood Improvement Program (NIP) and the Grand Coteau Management Committee made representation to have the enlargement of the museum to include an art gallery and the branch of the regional library considered as first priority. The plan received the approval of the Town Council and the new municipally operated facility was opened in 1980 with the guidance of a Board of Directors, and Director/Curator. Today the staff has expanded to include a Curatorial Assistant and volunteers.

The Centre now includes the Shaunavon Branch of the Chinook Regional Library, an art gallery, a natural history museum and tourist information centre all on the main floor; a heritage museum in the basement which also includes a general purpose community room.

The Centre continues to be open year round and offers a variety of cultural experiences. Stop in and visit us when you are in town.

Annual Report 2021
Annual Report 2020

Museums Association of Saskatchewan
SaskCulture

Follow Us on Social Media

Follow Us on Social Media

Keep up to date on Grand Coteau Centre’s events, programs, and happenings - or enjoy some virtual fun with our heritage & tourism based videos and posts!

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