Museums and cultural institutions are the silent engines of our city. They are the places that drive creativity, and connection. They are vital to our local cultural economy, and to our attractiveness as a city.

Above all, they are the places where we find a common understanding about our city and our identity

The EHC is disappointed to see the closure of the Telephone Historical Centre. Over the past 31 years, the Telephone Historical Centre has welcomed tens of thousands of visitors, and inspired generations of young minds through the history of our city. They have curated an impressive collection documenting the growth of our city and those that call it home.

The EHC has been a proud supporter of the Telephone Historical Centre through our Heritage Community Investment Program. We’ve seen, first hand, the growth and professionalization of the organization, its collections management, and it public programming. And we were overjoyed to see the busloads of curious students walk the front doors.

We also recognize the challenges facing museums and cultural institutions today, from accessibility to financial sustainability, succession planning and audience retention, and the costs of maintaining exhibits and collections.

We will continue to work with Edmonton’s museum sector and heritage professionals to explore the future of museums and museum sustainability in our city. We look forward to convening conversations with political leaders, our members, stakeholders, and the public to assess and chart a path forward for our cultural institutions.

We will commit to sharing our findings when available. For more information on the state of the museums in Edmonton, please have a look at some of our past research reports.

If you want to be a part of the conversation, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. More to come.