Our mission is to be a cultural centre for the community and provide a repository dedicated to the ongoing collection, preservation, and interpretation of Westbank and the surrounding areas'
history.
Vision
The Westbank Museum recognizes that we have a responsibility to consult, advocate, and partner with all members of the community. We strive to provide inclusive and equitable care that listens to and better represents the history, stories, and experiences in Westbank and the surrounding communities.
A Commitment For Change
The Westbank Museum is committed to deconstructing the mindset which places the European colonizer above any other group of people. Specifically, it pertains to a reflection of how Indigenous peoples were, and continue to be, treated by the colonizer and how systems of privilege can be dismantled and reformed. This does not pertain exclusively to reinterpreting history but works to restructure current systems such as healthcare, education, justice, arts, and culture that disadvantage and work against Indigenous peoples. This process is ongoing and does not have one simple or easy answer. Therefore, it is a continuing effort that we are working with, for, and alongside Indigenous peoples to achieve. Our museum is dedicated to understanding First Nations culture, identity, and issues, as well as, our role in amplifying Indigenous voices and ensuring that every side of the story is told. At the Westbank Museum, we do not have all the answers, and we recognize the need to listen and learn from our Indigenous colleagues, friends, and community members.
Values
Inclusivity:
Provide equal access to museum services for Westbank and the surrounding area's history to all members of the community.
Integrity:
Maintain the highest ethical standards, acknowledge the museum’s colonial history, hold ourselves accountable for misrepresentation and exclusion, and move forward with humility.
Collaboration:
Consult, advocate, and work alongside members of the community, with a focus on those who have been previously underrepresented.
Responsibility:
Respect, preserve, and represent a multi-perspective approach to history, artifacts, and experiences in Westbank and West Kelowna. We commit to providing welcoming and considerate care to the public.
