When I travel, I do try to check out the local history museums. I enjoy seeing the history of how a place has developed over time. It helps change your perspective when see some of the landmarks outside of the museum still around and how things have progressed over time.

This year, I had a chance to check out the Jasper Yellowhead Museum & Archives. The museum is located on the back side of town behind just about everything, so most people miss it when they visit Jasper. When people visit Jasper, they stay mostly on Connaught Drive, Patricia Street or at Jasper Park Lodge, Marmot Basin or other sites. Everything else you would assume is residential, which is why the Jasper Museum gets lost.

The museum is not very large but does hold a good deal of artifacts. There are displays that help explain different periods in time and items that were used. It holds the historical archives, which was not open when I was there. There is also a gift shop. Along with the historic gallery, there are two galleries that get rotated that highlight artwork, photography and other things happening in Jasper.

One thing I have figured out from most of the small-town history museums is that they really need people to visit them. A lot of them are under appreciated and they run on fundraisers and donations. Next time you are in Jasper, check out some of Jasper’s unique history and buy something in their gift shop.