When we opened to the public in 1967, Le Musée de Saint-Boniface Museum (MSBM) was referred to as “the lived-in museum”. The original Grey Nuns’ Convent had indeed been home to many people over the course of its more than 100 years of use (including Grey Nuns, novices, the elderly, hospital and hospice patients, orphans and families in need) and welcomed guests (boys and girls for day school, and later nursing school students) daily. Our building is the oldest in Winnipeg and it supported and touched many, many families as Saint-Boniface grew from a small catholic mission, to a city of its own.
Over time, Le Musée’s reputation has evolved as its collections, capacity and significance grew. Recognized as a keeper of Francophone and Métis heritage, it is an unavoidable reference point for researchers, a key experience for teachers and students, a must-see for tourists, a touchstone for our communities’ families and a wonderful part of Winnipeg’s cultural landscape.