The Thunder Bay Museum will host a travelling exhibit from The MUSE: Lake of the Woods Museum & Douglas Family Art Centre focused on Treaty 3 from February 4th to the end of April 2025.
The exhibit is available for visitors on the second floor at no additional charge during the Museum’s normal visiting hours, Tuesday to Sunday, 1:00 to 5:00 PM.
For some context on the exhibit and its development, the year 2023 marked the 150th anniversary of the signing of Treaty #3 at Northwest Angle on October 3rd, 1873.
To honour that occasion the Sacred Treaty and adhesion documents travelled home to Treaty #3 territory in the summer/fall of 2023. During that summer the historic documents were joined by colourful information panels developed by the Indigenous Advisory Committee of The MUSE: Lake of the Woods Museum & Douglas Family Art Centre.
These panels tell the story of the signing of the Treaty and the story of the Anishinaabe of Treaty #3. Those colourful panels, and reproductions of the Sacred Treaty and adhesions form the exhibit: Treaty #3: Manidoo Mazina’igan | The Sacred Document.
Statement from Grand Council Treaty #3: Commemorating a historic agreement that symbolizes the enduring partnership between Anishinaabe Peoples and the Crown. We honour the wisdom, resilience, and cultural traditions of our Anishinaabe ancestors who negotiated this treaty, and we look forward to continuing to work together in mutual respect, understanding, and cooperation for a better future for all.
Treaty #3: Manidoo Mazina’igan | The Sacred Document was a collaboration between Grand Council Treaty #3, The MUSE: Lake of the Woods Museum & Douglas Family Art Centre, Library and Archives Canada, the Government of Canada, and the Province of Ontario.
For more information on local events related to the 150 Anniversary of the signing of Treaty #3, visit: https://150.gct3.ca/
To supplement the travelling exhibit, The Thunder Bay Museum staff created additional exhibit panels in consultation with our Indigenous Advisory Group that briefly covers the history leading to the other treaties in Northwestern Ontario, known as Robinson Superior, Treaty 5, and Treaty 9.
For more information about the Thunder Bay Museum and exhibits, please visit: https://www.thunderbaymuseum.com/exhibits/gallery-exhibits/#
