Collections

  • Kate Inuktalik of Kugluktuk with Curator Joanne Bird. Photo credit: Tessa Macintosh

    Collections
  • Susan Irving showing artifacts to Sir John Franklin High School students.

    Collections
  • Ryan Silke at the Museum Alive! Open House. Photo credit: Pat Kane/GNWT

    Collections
  • Sharing our Stories allowed Elders to impart valuable information about artifacts in the collections.

    photo sharingourstories

The Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre houses the museum collection of the Government of the Northwest Territories. The Collections Section is responsible for the management of the museum collection. We acquire objects, specimens and works of art that represent all cultures and regions of the Northwest Territories. We document the collection and preserve it in a secure environment according to museum standards. We make the collection accessible to people by helping researchers and visitors see and study it.

The museum collection includes paintings, sculptures, clothing, hunting and working tools, geological samples and many other items illustrating the history of the NWT.

The Northern Heritage Centre is also a repository for archaeological artifacts collected in the Northwest Territories. This means we receive, organize and store collections obtained by archaeologists.

Contact Us

We are pleased to answer inquiries about the museum collection and assist visitors to use collection information and view objects.

If you are interested in donating an object, please email museum_collections@gov.nt.ca or call the Manager of Museum Collections at (867) 767-9347 ext. 71229.

  • Museum Art Collection Online

    Explore the PWNHC’s entire art collection of over 1,400 records and photos of artwork, including sculptures, paintings, prints, and textiles created by over 200 northern, Canadian, and international circumpolar artists.

  • Objects Showcase

    Browse selected objects from the museum collection in our new online showcase.

  • Narrative Threads

    A virtual exhibit hosted by the Textile Museum of Canada containing objects from the PWNHC Collections.

Nunavut Collection

In April 2017, the Government of Nunavut (GN) transferred its museum and archival collections from the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, to the Canadian Museum of Nature in Gatineau, Quebec.

This involved the relocation of approximately 140,000 items.

For more information, please contact the Heritage Collections at heritagecollections@gov.nu.ca.