DIGITAL LIBRARY

On December 18, 2025, Chic Scott sat down with Barry Blanchard for a Fireside Chat at The Whyte. Barry Blanchard is one of Canada’s most accomplished and respected mountaineers. A legendary alpinist, guide, and author, Barry has played a pivotal role in shaping modern Canadian mountaineering and shares a long history and deep connection with Chic Scott.

On November 1st, 2023, Frances Klatzel joined Chic Scott for a Fireside Chat at The Whyte. Born and raised in Calgary, she obtained a B.Sc. in Biology from the University of Calgary and worked for the Canadian Parks Service for seven years. A trip to Nepal in 1980 changed her life; she helped create a museum of Sherpa culture, founded Mera Publications and co-founded CORE International.

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.

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.

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

On Thursday, December 5th, 2024, Cori Brewster joined Chic Scott for a Fireside Chat. Cori Brewster was born and raised in Banff, where