Collection

What are archives?

Archival records are original, unique, and unpublished documents or media which illustrate the administrative, legal, commercial, historical, or cultural functions of a person or organization. Archival records can come in many formats, including textual materials, photographs, maps, architectural drawings, audiovisual files, and computer discs or hard drives.

What’s in the Whistler Museum & Archives’ Archival collection?

The Archives holds a variety of interesting documents, maps, films, audio, and over 200,000 photographs. Materials in the archives demonstrate mountain culture and the functions of people or organizations in Whistler or the Sea to Sky area.

The Archival collection continues to grow as new material being donated.

I’d like to browse archival photographs from the collection. How can I see them?

For personal, educational, or research purposes, you can browse our digitized photographs in ouronline gallery. If you are interested in purchasing photographs for personal use or commercial use, please see ourPhoto Orders Section and/or email the Head Archivist at archives@whistlermuseum.org.

How do I research at the Whistler Museum’s Archives?

Members of the public are welcome to come and read at our archives, by appointment only. You can also view the Museum’s archival database at https://whistler.ica-atom.org/

Appointments must be made in advance. Please contact the Collections Manager at archives@whistlermuseum.org or phone 604 932 2019.

How do I donate my records to the Archives?

The Archives accepts materials that demonstrate mountain culture or which are from the Sea to Sky area. Please contact the Collections Manager at archives@whistlermuseum.org or at 604.932.2019 to describe the material you wish to donate. All donors must sign a donation form when bringing their material to the museum. If this form is not signed, the donated material cannot be accepted. You may download a copy of our Archives & Artefacts donation form to fill out or receive a form in person at the Whistler Museum.

What are artefacts?

Artefacts refer to physical pieces, created by humans. Physical objects of a culture give us a better understanding and appreciation for the complex lives of the people who interacted with those objects. Artefacts provide us insight into non-material culture, which includes the ideas, beliefs, habits, and values of a people.

What’s in the Whistler Museum & Archives’ Artefact collection?

The Whistler Museum has many interesting objects that relate to the residents, lodge life, and early tourism in the community of Alta Lake during the first part of the twentieth century, mountain and resort history, natural history, contemporary history and Olympic history.

How do I donate artefacts to the Museum?

The Whistler Museum accepts materials which demonstrate mountain culture or which are from the Sea to Sky area. Please contact the Collections Manager at archives@whistlermuseum.org to describe or send images of the items you wish to donate. All donors must sign a donation form when bringing their material to the museum. If this form is not signed, the donated material cannot be accepted. You may download a copy of our Archives & Artefacts donation formto fill out or receive a form in person at the Whistler Museum.

Research

The Whistler Museum & Archives possesses a research collection of non-archival reference materials to complement the archival collection, including books, magazines, newspapers, and subject files which may be useful when researching Whistler’s history.

Members of the public are welcome to come and research at the museum. Research appointments must be made in advance.