North Battleford
Saskatoon
Yorkton
Moose Jaw
Collections
The WDM holds over 75,000 artifacts along with over 500,000 archival, photographic, and library materials in trust for the people of Saskatchewan. From pins to locomotives to a grain elevator, the WDM’s collections touch on all aspects of life in Saskatchewan.
Our Collections
Search the WDM Collections database.
The WDM collections represent the cultural, agricultural and industrial history of Western Canada, with strong emphasis on Saskatchewan, from the settlement period (c.1870s) to the present day. These collections are held in trust for the people of Saskatchewan. The WDM holds over 75,000 artifacts and over 500,000 archival, photographic, and library materials. Generally, the WDM does not collect fine arts, natural history or archaeological artifacts, although some of these types of artifacts remain in the Permanent Collection from earlier collecting priorities.
The new Collections Development Plan guides decision making by defining the criteria for accepting artifacts into the WDM’s accessioned collections, the criteria for removing artifacts from the WDM’s accessioned collections, and how limited resources will be allocated in the overall care and maintenance of the WDM’s accessioned collections.
The Collections Development Plan is aligned to the WDM’s mandate as legislated by the Government of Saskatchewan in The Western Development Museum Act and the Board of Directors’ Ends Policy. The Plan responds to the WDM vision of A Saskatchewan Where Everyone Belongs and Histories Matter, in its goals to develop the collections to better represent all Saskatchewan people, particularly those who have been unrepresented, underrepresented, misrepresented or erased in the Museum’s collections and narratives since its founding in 1949.
