About Us
It was the chance for a weekend get-a-way spot that spurred Florence Petersen and four friends to purchase a small cabin at Alta Lake, in the mid 50s. At the time the valley was a quaint summer fishing resort with only a handful of year-round residents. In the years following, the valley would transform from its humble beginnings into the internationally renowned four-season resort we know today. With so much change taking place in the 70s, early pioneer Myrtle Philip and Cypress Lodge owner, Dick Fairhurst confessed to Florence a worry that the early days would soon be forgotten. Florence eased their fears by promising them that she would somehow ensure that their stories would be remembered and true to her word in 1986, after retiring from school-teaching, Florence kept her promise by starting the Whistler Museum and Archives as a charitable non-profit society. Over twenty years later Whistler has grown beyond the early trail-blazers’ wildest dreams and the Museum is proud to continue to collect, preserve, and tell the stories of mountain life and the people who live it.
Membership
By becoming a member of the Whistler Museum and Archives, you are supporting heritage in your community. Your support will allow us to continue to offer the community fantastic services such as exhibit development, educational programming as well as continuing to preserve and protect the Museum’s artifacts. As a member, not only will you be more involved with your community, but you will also receive a number of benefits.
Please click here for information on Membership
Listen the Museum's founder, Florence Petersen, talk about starting the museum.
Mission
To collect, preserve, document and interpret the natural and human history of mountain life – with an emphasis on Whistler – and to provide a forum in which to present an innovative range of exhibitions and education programs to enrich the lives of residents and guests.
Vision
Our (Whistler) Museum will be a leading centre for the collection, preservation, documentation, interpretation and celebration of Whistler’s mountain life.
Board of Directors 2012/13
- President - John Hetherington
- Vice-President – Colin Pitt-Taylor
- Treasurer – Roger Lundie
- Trustee – Alex Kleinman
- Trustee – Dave Kirk
- Trustee – Stephen Vogler
- Trustee - Jim Cook
- Trustee - Michael D'Artois
- Trustee - Stephanie Matches
- Trustee - Jinny Ladner
- Municipal Representative – Jayson Faulkner
Staff
- Curator and Executive Director - Sarah Drewery
- Collections Manager - Bradley Nichols
- Programs & Marketing Manager - Jeff Slack
Organization Documents:
2009 Annual Report
Museum Master Plan