Outaouais Regional Museum receives $1.2 million boost from Québec Government

Tashi Farmilo

Culture Outaouais and the Université du Québec en Outaouais (UQO) are celebrating a significant milestone for the Outaouais Regional Museum (MRO) project, as the Quebec government announces a $1.2 million grant for its development. This funding marks an important step in the establishment of a museum entity that aims to enhance the cultural landscape of the region.

During a visit to the Alexandre-Taché pavilion at UQO in Gatineau, Minister of Culture and Communications, Minister responsible for Youth, and Minister responsible for the Outaouais region, Mathieu Lacombe, confirmed the grant. He was accompanied by Suzanne Tremblay, Member of Parliament for Hull, Jean-Marc Blais, president of the board of directors of the MRO, and Murielle Laberge, rector of UQO.

"Museums are major anchors in the quality of life of citizens," declared Minister Lacombe. "This financial assistance will help structure the electoral promise I made when I took office: I would like to see the Outaouais Regional Museum project come to fruition and thus improve the museum offering in the region. For our government, it is crucial to invest in promoting our culture and our history to make it better known to future generations."

The MRO aims to provide the region with state-of-the-art museum equipment to support existing and future museum institutions. UQO will host the museum project office on its Gatineau campus, offering an unprecedented opportunity for students in museology and heritage programs to contribute to the design, creation, and implementation of a brand new museum.

Rector Murielle Laberge expressed her enthusiasm for the collaboration, stating, "This close link between the Outaouais Regional Museum and UQO is completely natural and essential. Our activities linked to the arts, museology, and heritage are an integral part of our DNA."

The financial assistance from Quebec will be used to carry out a feasibility study for the development of the museum, develop a functional plan, identify the required financial and human resources, and determine its final location. An amount of $800,000 comes from the Other Specific Initiatives in Culture and Communication program, and $400,000 comes from the Region and Rurality Fund.

Stephen Quick, Director General of the MRO, highlighted the importance of the partnership with UQO and the museum's role as a cultural hub. He also emphasized the historical significance of the potential site at Zibi along Taché Boulevard and Eddy Street: "The site itself holds so much history. It was a spiritual place for the First Nations, with history going back almost 7,000 years. It was a meeting place before they headed out on the Ottawa River. The whole idea of it, with the waterway being a highway for the First Nations and then for the early settlers as well, was a place to be able to access the interior of the country."

The MRO aims not only to preserve and celebrate the region's heritage but also to showcase its contemporary cultural offerings, including music, writing, theater, and events. This institution will play a crucial role in connecting the past, present, and future of the Outaouais region, enriching the national museum landscape and providing a unique cultural experience for residents and visitors alike.

Photo caption: Murielle Laberge, the rector of UQO, expressed her enthusiasm for the ongoing collaboration with the Outaouais Regional Museum, highlighting the significance of hosting the museum's project office on the university campus. She emphasized that the close relationship between the museum and UQO is not only natural but also essential. 

Photo credit: Courtesy of the UQO