With the 102nd Memorial Cup being hosted in Kelowna this spring, the timing of the Okanagan Heritage Museum’s latest exhibit could not be better.

The Okanagan Heritage Museum (470 Queensway Ave. in downtown Kelowna) is celebrating Canada’s game with a one-of-a-kind travelling exhibition from the Canadian Museum of History. Hockey, presented now through February 29, looks at how the sport has influenced our lives, and what that reveals about us as a people.

Hockey Poster - Kelowna Museums

Credit: Kelowna Museums

Hockey is many things — shinny on a frozen pond, the sweat-soaked smell of a locker room, a winning wrist shot, a roaring crowd. But most of all, it is an enduring national passion that brings Canadians together regardless of geography, language, gender or age.

From Paul Henderson’s winning goal for Canada in the 1972 Summit Series to Manon Rhéaume’s debut as an NHL goalie to Sheldon Kennedy’s advocacy on behalf of sexual abuse victims, Hockey revisits game-changing moments and players. By highlighting tabletop hockey games, Roch Carrier’s classic story The Hockey Sweater, and Shania Twain’s NHL-inspired stage outfits, the exhibition also reminds us of how deeply hockey is woven into the tapestry of Canadian life.

Hockey Exhibit at Okanagan Heritage Museum

Whether you’re a Kelowna resident or a visitor, if you love hockey, you’re in for a treat over the next weeks and months. Amanda Snyder, the Curatorial Manager of the Kelowna Museums Society, is one of the people who is excited to see the exhibit visit Kelowna:

“Hockey is such an important part of the fabric of Canadian life, and we’re delighted to be hosting Hockey at the Okanagan Heritage Museum (OHM) this winter. This is an exhibit that is going to have broad appeal across generations, and we look forward to welcoming you to the OHM. Bring family, bring friends and learn more about Canada’s favourite game!”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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The exhibition is an engaging two-dimensional display that uses photographs and images of key artifacts, memorabilia and works of art to present hockey highlights from yesterday and today. Listen to audio archives from hockey history and get into the game by recording your own running commentary, just like legendary sportscaster Foster Hewitt.

“The Canadian Museum of History is thrilled to share Hockey with the people of Kelowna,” said Mark O’Neill, President and CEO of the Canadian Museum of History. “Whether we hit the ice or cheer from our living rooms, hockey is more than just a game to Canadians. It has helped shape our history and our national identity from coast to coast to coast.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Hockey runs at the Okanagan Heritage Museum until February 29, 2020. Admission to all Kelowna Museums Society locations, including the OHM, is by donation and is suggested at $5 per person or $15 for a family.

This travelling exhibition was developed by the Canadian Museum of History. It is adapted from the major exhibition of the same name presented in 2017 at the Canadian Museum of History.

You can learn more about the Kelowna Museums Society by visiting their official website.