Our business acknowledges that we operate on the traditional, ancestral and unceded təmxʷulaʔxʷ (homeland) of the Sinixt Peoples. We show our respect for this land and its people by committing to giving back.
Welcome to the Nakusp Museum!
Surrounded by idyllic mountains and beautiful lakes, the Nakusp Museum is home to many artifacts, photos, and stories of Nakusp and area’s rich history.
“I’ve discovered here the rare beauty of nature and the appreciation of this by the human soul. I’ve met here the real monument to the spirit of the pioneers discovering new horizons.”
excerpt from “Pioneer Days of Nakusp and the Arrow Lakes” by Kate Johnson (1964)
We are currently closed for the 2021 season due to COVID-19. Keep up with us on Facebook and Instagram!
How it All Began
It came to the attention of Doreen Desrochers, who was working for B.C. Hydro, that there were many artifacts from this area that were either being left behind by the families that were being relocated due to the flooding of the Arrow Lakes in 1967, or were being destroyed, sold, or moved to other areas.
This matter was brought to the attention of the Nakusp Kinette organization, and a committee was formed to see if they could start a museum to house some of these valuable articles. The Village Council was approached to see if the basement of their building (The Centennial Building) could be used and to ask for help with the financing of the museum. They agreed to everything that was asked for and so a start was made.
There were work bees and the Kinsmen were asked to help with building shelves, wallpapering of the house area, etc. There were cleaning bees every year before opening of the museum for the summer. Rosemarie Johnson and Doreen took on the task of marking items – writing thank yous – keeping the books. It was a giant task but well worth the effort. You can see here items pertinent to this area only that would have been lost and many other artifacts that with a little work will be fantastic.
The Kinettes – especially Doreen and Rosemarie – have done Nakusp a tremendous favour by having the foresight to start this project. As the years went by, Bert Gardner and Harry Murphy were instrumental in keeping the museum going until the Arrow Lakes Historical Society was formed in 1984.
