Government of Canada Supports the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum

July 05, 2010

ALMONTE, Ontario – On behalf of the Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, Gordon O’Connor, Minister of State and Chief Government Whip and Member of Parliament (Carleton–Mississippi Mills), today announced funding for the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum.

This funding will allow the Museum to carry out its Library and Artifact Cataloguing and Digitization project during the 2010–2011 fiscal year. This project will introduce an electronic collection database that will improve the Museum’s management practices and make the collection available online for increased public access.

“Our Government is committed to increasing public access to the arts in Canada,” said Minister Moore. “By using technological advances to catalogue and publish the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum collection online, we are honouring this commitment for all those across the country who cannot visit the Museum to see the collection first hand.”

“I am proud to present this funding on behalf of the Government of Canada,” said Minister of State O’Connor. “Not only will it increase the public’s knowledge of the beautiful artifacts housed here, but it will also generate visitor interest in the Museum and in the region.”

“The Mississippi Valley Textile Museum is very grateful to receive funding from the government’s Museums Assistance Program,” said Michael Rikley-Lancaster, Curator. “This funding will enable us to present our artifact collection to the public on our website. It is so important for smaller museums to have access to this funding, because without it projects like this could not be completed.”

The Government of Canada has provided funding of $17,200 through the Museums Assistance Program of the Department of Canadian Heritage. This program provides funding to Canadian museums and related institutions for projects that foster excellence in museum activities and that facilitate access to the treasures of our collective heritage.