History

A Few Words on the Museum's History

In 2017, Musée du Fjord turned 50! The dream of young scouts evolved into today’s landmark. Over 50 years, numerous events and much passion have contributed to its development : exhibitions, public meetings, youth programs, publications and mutually beneficial partnerships are among the many outstanding realizations that have made it so popular today. Now a museology leader and major tourist attraction.

Musée du Fjord continually rethinks and renews its offer in an effort to captivate and amaze visitors. That is the Museum’s mission, this year, next year, and for many, many years to come…

Origins

In the early 1960s, the Saint Alexis de Grande-Baie Parish Scouts collected over 1,000 artifacts from the local population, and the exhibition they created with these items met with expected success. But the emerging collection needed a home, and, to that end, the town of Port-Alfred acquired Fabrique Saint-Alexis, the personal home of Father Joseph-Wilbrod Dufour, a Grande-Baie native and appointed Canon of the Chicoutimi Cathedral. And the Monseigneur-Dufour Museum was inaugurated in 1967. The subsequent years featured exhibitions, educational programs, and, of course, the collection needed to be classified.

In 1983, the Museum entered a new phase and was renamed Musée du Fjord. It was moved to the Saint-Alexis Community Centre, professional equipment was acquired, and permanent staff was hired.

In July 1996, Mother Nature unleashed its wrath, as heavy floods hit the Saguenay Region and devastated the Grande-Baie Sector. The Museum was heavily damaged and its equipment was ruined. It had to close down.

But what seemed a complete disaster was transformed into an opportunity to regroup, and the community responded, donating vast amounts of money to refurbish the site. As a result, the Museum reopened in 2004; the building had been renovated, expanded and provided with state-of-the-art equipment. And it had a new mission, a new focus on scientific, historic, and artistic heritage.

Are you as passionate about science and history as we are?