DIGITAL LIBRARY

In 1961, Andy Russell and his sons set out to document grizzly bears with respect rather than fear. Their groundbreaking film and book Grizzly Country challenged myths and revealed the bears’ true nature. Decades later, The Whyte restored the film, capturing Russell’s narration and adding Ian Tyson’s introduction. This preservation effort ensures new audiences can experience the powerful work that helped inspire awareness and protection of grizzlies and their habitat.

The 2025/26 Lillian Agnes Jones Scholarship has expanded with $50,000 in funding and two streams: Academic Research and Creative Production. Open to all Canadian citizens and permanent residents, the program supports projects exploring Western Canadian history and culture. This year’s scholarship recipients are Rosanna Carver, Stephanie Weber, Giona Smalleyes, and Kari Woo.

Explore how grassroots activists in 1970s Alberta utilized media in efforts to protect national parks. This article by Lillian Agnes Jones scholarship recipient, Chris Chang-Yen Phillips, highlights the Parks for Tomorrow march in Banff and the role of newspapers, TV, and radio in shaping environmental advocacy.

In March 2025, The Whyte confronted a troubling object on its grounds: a 38-foot “carved pole” made in the 1960s that appropriated Indigenous imagery. Acknowledging evolving understandings of cultural appropriation, the museum removed the pole, began deaccession planning, and committed to transparent, community-guided next steps aligned with CMA and UNDRIP principles.

The Whyte’s Heritage Gallery is undergoing change through new Truth-Telling Interventions - yellow labels added to existing panels to address missing voices, misrepresentation, and colonial narratives. These interventions highlight overlooked histories, including Indigenous communities, internment camp prisoners, and Chinese railway workers, fostering a more inclusive and ethical telling of our shared past.

In honour of the 2025 United Nations International Year of Glaciers' Preservation, we are pleased to share the Have You Met: Bob Sandford.

The Vaux siblings plotted the route for modern glaciology, exploring the malleable boundary between photography for art and for science.

Discover recent publications that showcase the ever-growing breadth of Indigenous works in the Archives Special Collections Library.