Filling both floors of the two storey brick "Dominion" building, the Ashcroft Museum is the repository of a large and eclectic collection of artefacts which accompanied the growth and development of ashcroft and area.
In the collection are artefacts depicting day to day domestic life, work life and leisure activities enjoyed by the pioneers of Ashcroft.
Over the past 35 years the collection has continued to grow, and now features displays about the McAbee Fossil Beds, First Nations baskets, Ashcroft’s Chinese heritage, mining, and much more.
On the building's exterior is a Village of Ashcroft heritage marker bearing a short history of the building itself:
ASHCROFT MUSEUM AND ARCHIVES
Erected in 1917 as the Dominion Public Building, this was originally a wooden structure, bricked over in 1933-34. First built as the Ashcroft Post Office to replace the one burned in the 1916 fire, it also housed the telephone and telegraph offices, and for a while the customs office. The Village of Ashcroft acquired the building in 1980, for the Museum and Archives, which officially opened in 1982.
One attractive feature of the museum is "The Tour". If the museum happens not to be busy when one visits, one will receive an impromptu tour from the staff member (likely a volunteer) on duty, which includes a knowledgeable discourse on the more interesting items one passes, as well as their places in local history. Altogether, this is a very enjoyable small town museum to visit, well worth spending a bit of time in.
The "Dominion Building" is actually the fourth home of the museum, the
history of which goes back to its founding in 1935, when it was opened by
Journal editor R.D. Cumming in space above
The Journal, the local newspaper. In the early 1950s the collection was moved to the vacant Harvey Bailey warehouse on the east side of Railway Avenue, where it remained on display for several years. When that building was razed by its owner, the Canadian Pacific Railway, the collection went into storage until the opening of the new combination museum and fire hall in Cumming’s name in 1958. After that building had been overcrowded for several years, the museum was finally moved to this building in 1982.
Ashcroft Museum
Located in the brick "Dominion" building, built in 1917, the Ashcroft Museum is located at the corner of Brink and 4th Street. Originally the Village Post Office, the Ashcroft Museum moved into the building in 1980.
Considered one of the best museums located in any BC Village, the collection includes artifacts that date back to the early 1900's and and bears witness to Ashcroft's "Glory Days". Displays honour the local Indigenous People, the Chinese community and other pioneers of the area. Ranching, sports, and fossils exhibits are featured on the top floor, as well as one of the most popular displays “the coal mine.” The museum also features a changing display, and each year something new is showcased! The Museum also has extensive archives relating to the history and its pioneer families, and museum staff is happy to assist visitors who are looking for information.
Entrance to the museum is by donation and a lift enables visitors with mobility issues to access the main floor.
From the Ashcroft Museum and Archives