Since 1980, the Musée des Deux-Rives
has been talking about the history, art and industrial realities
faced by the workers of the regions of Salaberry-de-Valleyfield
and Beauharnois.
The past is a trustworthy witness: the Musée
des Deux-Rives sits squarely in the heart of the cultural life
of the Haut-Saint-Laurent Valley.
HISTORY
In 1980, a group of persons involved in the cultural
life of the Salaberry-de-Valleyfield region, one of whom was
Marcel Brisebois, Director of the Musée d'art contemporain
de Montréal
until 2004, instigated the Écomusée des Deux-Rives.
In June 2004, following the restructuring of the organization
with a view to the establishment of its first permanent site,
the Écomusée became the Musée de société des
Deux-Rives.
Bearing in mind the numerous functions and exhibitions
undertaken by the institution, it must be said that the museum
has never lost sight of its vocation. It is not without reason
that the population feels attached to its museological institution:
this is a museum that speaks about its people, that brings its
history and cultural heritage to the forefront, that establishes
a feeling of pride, and, above all, here is a captivating museum
accessible to everyone, the local residents as well as those
from elsewhere.
The Musée des Deux-Rives has tested and developed every
aspect of its role as a museum—the publication of catalogues,
the acquisition of holdings, research, presentation, the production
of cultural activities (more than 250 to date), the organization
of exhibitions (62 to date), the conception of experimental methods
of interpretation—all of this often accomplished by a team
of volunteers, by university students in training (acquisitions
and research), or by a single staff member.
When the quality,
quantity, and integrity of the museum's activities are considered,
a steady evolution is apparent, a progress which today allows
the organization to offer productions and services that have
been lauded by several major institutions in the field of museology.
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