The Gatineau Preservation Centre
Opens its Doors to the Public

GATINEAU, May 14, 2002 - On Sunday, June 2nd, the National Archives of Canada will hold an open house to celebrate the 5th anniversary of the Gatineau preservation Centre. The Centre, which will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. for this special occasion, is expecting to host close to 3,000 visitors, who will have an opportunity to discover what lies behind the walls of this imposing, internationally renown building.

This is the first time that the Centre has organized such an event since it opened in June 1997. Throughout the day, under the theme of Spotlight on our Archives, visitors will have access to works of art, photographs, films, sound recordings, maps, letters and excerpts from personal journals, all carefully selected from among the millions of documents held at the Archives.

"This event will give the region's residents a unique opportunity to demystify the archives and revisit Canada's history in a festive atmosphere," explains Ian Wilson, Canada's National Archivist. "They will be able to view a wide range of archival treasures, most of which are not known to the public, and to familiarize themselves with the exceptional work that is being done by our curators and archivists to carefully preserve these rare documents," adds Mr. Wilson.

The Centre's curators and archivists will be on site to answer questions from the public and explain restoration and conservation techniques. The public will also be able to see selected items from the recently acquired prestigious Peter Winkworth collection, which documents more than four centuries of Canadian history. The program includes family activities such as presentations on genealogy, philately and the preservation of documents, as well as activities and games for the children.

For additional information about the Spotlight on our Archives open house event, please call (613) 755-2559.

-30-