News Release

FREDERICTON (GNB) – The public will soon have an inside look at what is preserved by the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick and learn that it is a lot more than the written word.

Ar(t)chives, opening Dec. 1 at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery in Fredericton, will allow visitors to see such varied archived objects as canning labels, satirical cartoons and sacred art. The display represents the wide variety, origins and uses of the records the Provincial Archives makes available.

“I have no doubt that visitors will be impressed by the diversity of what’s on display and how it captures the cultural and social history of our province,” said Finance and Treasury Board Minister Ernie Steeves. “The insights we obtain through these works show us how the provincial archives and the records in its holdings contribute to the preservation of our unique and irreplaceable heritage.”

Steeves said the free booklet available at the exhibit is a stunning visual memento filled with detailed descriptions of the works and their creators.

“Archives are more than simply repositories of paper documents, ledgers, and census volumes; they often hold artistic treasures that augment the written word or even tell an entirely different story,” said John Leroux, manager of collections of exhibitions at the gallery. “The Beaverbrook Art Gallery is very pleased to partner with the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick in presenting some of the most fascinating historic visual records of New Brunswick that one may ever see.”

The official launch of the exhibit and the accompanying publication will take place at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 3, as part of a larger celebration of all exhibitions opening this winter at the gallery. Ar(t)chives runs until May 28, 2023.

Established in 1967, the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick collects and preserves the documents of the province’s people, institutions, businesses, organizations, and government.