Member Spotlight: The Fort Museum of the NWMP and First Nations Interpretive Centre

The Fort Museum of the NWMP and First Nations Interpretive Centre is located in Fort Macleod, and seeks to captivate and inspire audiences through authentic storytelling, engaging experiences, and dynamic community connections. The association was recently awarded GreenStep Sustainable Tourism Silver Certification. Continue reading to learn more about their journey towards sustainability:

Tell us a bit about your business. What makes you different?

We are both a museum and the information centre for the community of Fort Macleod. As a museum, we educate the community and other visitors about the history of the North West Mounted Police, their reason for coming to the region and their relationship with First Nations People that were in the region before the arrival of the NWMP. The museum also houses two of the oldest buildings in the area that are restored on their original sites. These buildings are the Fred Kanouse trading cabin and the Fredrick Haultain’s law office. The museum is also home to the only on-site NWMP musical ride re-enactment in Canada which began in 1973 and as become a world-wide tourist attraction. The Ride is performed four times daily, weather permitting, and is a favorite stop for both visitors and community members. The first recorded display of the NWMP Ride took place in Fort Macleod, Alberta in 1876 and we are proud to continue this tradition in the same town where it began.

Why is sustainability important to you/your business?

Sustainability is important to us because we want to generate a positive and sustainable experience for our community and to those that visit us. We want to make more of an effort to protect the local wildlife and native plant species. We also want to do our part to decrease our carbon footprint by increasing our conservation efforts. Recently, we have focused on looking to local artisans and vendors for our gift shop to ensure that the products and suppliers we use utilize are applying ethical and fair-trade methods.

Why did you join GreenStep Sustainable Tourism?

As a part of the Fort Museum’s strategic framework developed by the Board of Directors and staff in 2021, it highlights impact statements that aligned with the several of the core aspects of sustainable tourism. This created a chance to establish a partnership with GreenStep. The museum values our commitment to environmental, social, and cultural sustainability. Through this commitment, we can support a positive growth in visitation through a sustainable and practical framework.

What sustainability related projects, policies or initiatives do you most want travelers to know about?

We have taken several steps to reduce the amount of solid waste we produce and have done many things to redirect waste such as donating, recycling, composting, and repairing rather than discarding. The museum responds to issues raised in the customer feedback system and take corrective action when needed. We support the development and sales of sustainable products and services that reflect the nature, culture, and history of the region. The museum abides by local and international laws surrounding the display, trade, and sale of archaeological and historical artifacts. We also track all aspects of our cultural sustainability performance.

What are some goals and/or actions you plan to take in the future to further increase the sustainability of your business?

We are working on having more local artists and suppliers contribute to the gift shop stock rather than using long distance suppliers. We are also looking more into our energy, fuel and water consumption and we are looking into ways to increase our energy efficiency and reduce said consumption. The museum is looking into ways that we can contribute and support the conservation of the ecosystems, landscapes, and biodiversity around the museum. We are looking into creating a visitor sustainability feedback/survey on ways that visitors can help us improve our sustainability.

To learn more about The Fort Museum of the NWMP and First Nations Interpretive Centre– visit: https://nwmpmuseum.com/