Multi-Cultural Exhibition & Learning Centre

The Cause

To create a multi-cultural display featuring artifacts from around the world. The artifacts will be displayed in 20 lockable glass cabinets and will have details describing each artifact. There are at least 30 countries involved in addition to Canadian and Aboriginal artifacts. One cabinet will be dedicated to the United Nations International Days of the Year.

Sandy Cai, the owner of the artifacts, who is graciously donating her collection, is a High School teacher of International Studies. She will create teaching tools for all the artifacts so that schools groups and regular visitors will learn about the many cultures of the world. A customized “Passport” will be created to offer a challenge for both children and adults by encouraging their enthusiasm to learn and be involved in their own quest for learning.

The Red Deer Cultural Heritage Society operates a 107-year-old dwelling called the Cronquist House.
RDCHS operate a Tea House on the main floor, a gallery and history display with artifacts from the original owners of the house on the second floor and the cultural display in the lower level. At other times, the House can be rented privately.

The multicultural center will be a great addition to the Cronquist House as we host tours of the history rooms and the house to both regular visitors and by special arrangement with the Manager.
Many people are not able to or will not travel to other countries; our Centre will bring the world to them.

Who Will it Benefit?

School age children will definitely benefit as the interest in other cultures is explored through their curriculum. Developing the educational component will match those grades in the school to our interpretive exhibits. The Passport adds an interactive component that should help the students seek the answers within the exhibit on their own or with the help of an adult/teacher.

As our world in increasingly more frightful, this exhibit of artifacts can be important to all age groups, as it will help focus more of what we share (artifacts of each of our history) than our differences.

Children or adults who have not travelled out of our city or even out of province will benefit by seeing the artifacts from all over the world, put into an understandable context.

Immigrants or refugees will benefit by learning more about Canada and our city as they also learn about other countries.

The donor of the artifacts will benefit by seeing that her treasured international artifacts find a home that will help our community learn about other cultures.

RDCHS will benefit by using the exhibits to increase visitor ship to the house, but also by following their mandate to work with other cultures as shown by the numerous ethnic groups who are members of the Red Deer Cultural Heritage Society.