Regina is soon to be the home of Saskatchewan’s first national museum, as the federal government earmarked money for the city’s RCMP Heritage Centre.
Board Chair Steve McLellan says the centre is extremely excited for the transition.
“With national status, brings with it additional dollars, greater awareness, stronger federal supports, and allows us to tell the story to a lot more people in a lot bigger way,” said McLellan. “
The centre will be receiving $4.5 million to assist with the transition that’s set to be completed by 2023, which also marks the 150th Anniversary of the RCMP.
McLellan says he expects the new museum to be a big hit.
“We think that the combination of the national museum, the anniversary, and the fact that we’ll be still within that phase of the pent-up demand that people will want to travel because they weren’t able to in 2020,” said McLellan. “We think we’re going to see lots of folks come to Saskatchewan, celebrating Saskatchewan top to bottom, and of course we’re happy to play a role in that.”
McLellan says one priority of the new museum is to tell the complete history of the RCMP, the good, bad, and the ugly.
Being only one of three national museums outside of Ottawa, McLellan says the Heritage Centre will help rebuild the province’s economy.
“We think it’s going to do great things, this is a significant win for Saskatchewan in the fact that we will have a national museum in this province,” said McLellan. “Which brings significant attraction on the global stage, and we’re very happy it’s focused around the RCMP. It’ll help fill hotel rooms, sell restaurant seats, and of course draw people here that’ll visit other attractions as well.
The museum will become the westernmost national museum in the country, joining Halifax’s Pier 21 Museum, and Winnipeg’s Human Rights Museum.