Stettler Town and Country Museum is in a celebratory mood.
It will be hosting its annual Canada Day celebration, plus marking its 40th anniversary July 1, which is Monday.
Chantel Heier, assistant curator and one of the three summer students at the museum, outlined the Canada Day program.
“There may be a few surprises,” she said.
“We are still working on a few things.”
Heier said the museum is offering free admission throughout the day, during the hours of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
She said the event kicks off with a pancake breakfast from 9 to 11 a.m.
Free speeder rides go all day.
The singing of O Canada and the serving of the 40th anniversary cake is scheduled for 2 p.m.
The children’s games will begin immediately after.
Heier said a concession booth will be open on the grounds after the breakfast is over.
Curator Wilda Gibbons reflected on the museum’s 40-year history.
She said the museum received its charter in 1973 and the founding president was Ken Simon.
“There were lots of volunteers and they put a lot of work into establishing the museum,” Gibbons said.
Those efforts laid the ground work for today’s museum, deemed to be the fifth largest in Alberta.
The museum has 26 buildings including a CN train station, courthouse, school, church, post office and general store, harness shop and pioneer homes, each displaying thousands of period artifacts.