The Beckoning Hills Museum is nestled on the west side of Highway 10 as you're travelling through the town of Boissevain.  It has been closed for over a year and with a new Board of Directors, a re-energized vision for its future, and renewed energy with a host of local volunteers, the log building will once again be open to the public!

The museum looks fairly small judging by the front of the building, however it stretches back, back, back to house thousands and thousands of artifacts and antiques that speaks to days of pioneering, when oxen trudged muddy trails pulling wooden carts laden with a family's sole possessions to start a new life on the prairies.

In 2023 the Municipality of Boissevain-Morton took over the care and control of the museum which was built in 1967. It has been deemed a historic site by the Manitoba Historical Society.

The Board of Directors is co-chaired by Sandra Pearce and Eric Reichert.  

Sandra Pearce says they've clocked over 1200 volunteer hours since January 1st- closer 1500 since the start of November at the beginning of this venture of getting the museum up and running.

"When they come in the door, the first change people will notice is paint!" says Pearce. "We've added some color in a few places, and we're hoping to do more. That will be a big change. When we did the displays, we changed them up, so we have more themes. That is important so you don't have to look over for one little thing. It'll be together."

Grouping artifacts in their household-type rooms has brought a more organized approach to showcasing these nuggets of history.  Many of the items are perplexing if you don't know their history or what they were used for.  Was this used in the house? in the barn? In the dentist's office?  Including these items of wonder in a setting where they were used helps to understand why they were made.

Pearce says everything that has been donated to the museum is still there and will be used at a later time to switch up the displays.  Of course, many might remember the numerous duplicates of the very same items.  Those are in safe storage for future use.

Favorites are still there, including the strange little pig, and the enormous salt and pepper shakers collection! 

The museum as a whole is truly quite incredible and gives a taste of those very early days of homesteading.

The Beckoning Hills Museum will be open to the public this Saturday, Sunday and Monday from 1:00-5:00 PM.  Until July 1st the museum will only be open on weekends, and then summer hours will begin, with two summer students welcoming visitors and sharing bits and bites of unique Boissevain history.

Sandra Pearce says they're always welcoming more volunteers as there is still more to do!  And she adds, they're always welcoming comments and suggestions.

"We have lots of things planned for tours, and things planned for the kids," adds Pearce. "It's just going to be fun!"

Please listen to more with Sandra Pearce below and do stop in at the Beckoning Hills Musuem and check out the new look!