Haida Gwaii Museum at Kaay 'Llnagaay

Opened in 1976 by then Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau, the Haida Gwaii Museum houses a small but impressive collection of Haida art and cultural materials. A not-for-profit Society, the museum is designated as a Category ‘A’ federal facility. An islands-wide initiative, the museum maintains a comprehensive public archive of Haida Gwaii historical information, including audio-visual media, original documents, diaries, maps and journals, as well as all published books and articles relevant to the human and natural history of Haida Gwaii.

The museum is renowned for its care and treatment of Haida art old and new, its archives of oral histories and songs, presented alongside early settler artifacts and displays of the islands’ natural history. It also serves as a receiving facility for community initiatives to return cultural properties from distant museums home to Haida Gwaii.

The museum has been recognized in conjunction with Old Massett Heritage Resources for the development and scripting of “Haida Spirits of the Sea”, a web-based exhibit developed for the Canada Pavilion at EXPO 98 in Lisbon. The site has one three international awards, including “best site” in 1999, awarded by the International Council of Museums.