Voluntary Detours: Small-Town and Rural Museums in Alberta

Lianne McTavish explores challenging and unexpected museum sites in Alberta, challenging traditional museum scripts and promoting settler colonial understandings of land use. Indigenous museums and cultural centers defy colonial messages, honoring local, rural, and Indigenous knowledge.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 15 October 2021
Publisher: McGill-Queen's University Press

After embarking on a remarkable journey through hundreds of museums across Alberta,Lianne McTavish has meticulously documented some of the most intriguing and unexpected sites where the concept of the museum is undergoing a transformative shift. The notion of the visit as a "voluntary detour" encapsulates the unique way visitors venture off the beaten path to discover small-town and rural museums, as well as their willingness to deviate from conventional museum scripts upon arrival.

Through her insightful exploration, McTavish delves into a myriad of themes, including place, land, colonization, rurality, heritage, childhood, and play. She unveils the multifaceted nature of the museum visitor, revealing how locals and tourists often interpret museums in vastly different ways. Case studies such as the World Famous Gopher Hole Museum, Fort Chipewyan Bicentennial Museum, Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park, and the Museum of Fear and Wonder provide vivid examples of the diverse experiences and perspectives offered by these institutions.

A particularly compelling chapter focuses on sites dedicated to resource extraction, shedding light on how these places perpetuate settler colonial understandings of land use. By contrast, Indigenous museums and cultural centres boldly challenge colonial narratives through displays that adapt and refuse conventional museum formats. These spaces honor local, rural, and Indigenous knowledge, enriching critical accounts of the past, present, and future of museums.

Voluntary Detours is a testament to the power of cultural exploration and the importance of valuing diverse perspectives. By embarking on these voluntary detours, visitors not only gain a deeper understanding of the past but also contribute to the shaping of a more inclusive and dynamic museum landscape. This book serves as a valuable resource for scholars, museum professionals, and anyone with an interest in the evolving world of museums.

Dimension: 2413 x 165 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780228008699