Collections

Immerse yourself in history.

The collections of the Red Deer Museum + Art Gallery document the history and culture of Red Deer and Central Alberta. They represent a broad sample of materials directly related to the City of Red Deer and Central Alberta.

Our collections include clothing and textiles, commercial and domestic material, archaeological and paleontological artefacts and agricultural machinery and equipment.

MAG also holds a collection of artwork from local, national and international artists.

Art Collections

Indigenous art, Inuit art and art of Central Alberta

History Collections

The artifacts support a story directly related to Red Deer.

Marguerite Lerouge Watson Reading Room

The Marguerite Lerouge Watson Reading Room is a space that can be accessed for research purposes by appointment only. Holdings include Alberta and local history books, pamphlets, catalogues, periodicals, and sheet music.

Access to the catalogue is available online at the Red Deer Public Library. In-person access to the Reading Room is by appointment only. Contact [email protected] to make an appointment.

FAQs

The questions we often get asked…

Simply put, no. The MAG is a non-profit public institution and we do not provide appraisal and authentication services. For this expertise, we suggest you try antique dealers, art dealers or auctioneers. You can also check out Canadian Chapter of the International Society of Appraisers. “[They] are a not-for-profit, member-driven association, formed to support [their] member needs and to enhance public trust by producing qualified and ethical appraisers who are recognized authorities in personal property appraising.”

First step is to contact the Collections Coordinator at the MAG to discuss it. We are always grateful to be offered material, but we are strict about what we accept. The MAG is interested in artifacts and works of art which are in good shape and well documented and which help to tell significant stories about people, and their cultures, lifestyles and history.

To become part of our collections, an artifact must:

  • Be significant and specific to Red Deer and/or Central Alberta;
  • Be unique. It must not duplicate items already in our collections
  • Come with rich supporting information.

The Red Deer & District Archives should always be consulted first with these donations. They are located at 4725 49 Street, Red Deer, Alberta, phone 403.309.8403.

Call us to make an appointment. When contacting us please be specific about your interests. It is not always possible to browse through a large number of items. Appointments to view artifacts are available when staff have time in their work schedules, so please call ahead to make sure that a staff person will be available to show you the items that you are interested in.

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