The Museum & Archives of Vernon (3009 32nd Avenue) will be open on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, September 30, to provide a public venue to “listen and learn” about Reconciliation, the 94 Calls to Action, and the resilience of the syilx/Okanagan Nation in the face of the Residential School system and other colonial actions. Activities during the day will be self-guided, and appropriate for all-ages; colouring sheets from Indigenous artist Hawlii Pichette and syilx-themed scavenger hunts will keep the youngest visitors busy, while adults can watch the OKIB production “I Am Okanagan” in the museum’s Community Hall, or tune into the DWF’s live radio production “A Day to Listen” near the Natural History section. Indigenous books and artistic creations will be available for purchase in the museum’s gift shop, and visitors can also take this opportunity to submit their answer to museum’s Indigenous Learning Tour question, for a chance to win a prize basket.

The MAV recognizes that it is located on the Traditional, Ancestral, and Unceded Territory of the syilx People of the Okanagan Nation. It also recognizes that National Day of Truth and Reconciliation is a day of rest for Indigenous Community Members, and a day of action for non-Indigenous individuals to learn the truth of our country’s history and make efforts towards reconciliation. Donations collected through admission to the museum will be sent to the nk̓maplqs iʔ snm̓am̓áyaʔtn iʔ k̓l elementary school at Komasket Park to aid in their efforts towards a new building.