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12TuesdayFebruary262013ArtsCultureHeritageWeekByRENEFRANCOEURStudentgroupshadthechancetosneakapeekattheinnerworkingsoftheNorthernLifeMuseuminFortSmithlastweekaspartofHeritageWeekcelebra-tionsacrosstheNorthwestTerritoriesFeb.18-24.Themuseumisaimingtobemoreinteractiveandhands-onwithvisitorsex-ecutivedirectorMathieuDoucetsaidandHeritageWeekprovidedtheper-fectexcusetotrysome-thingnew.ThirteendifferentgroupsfromJosephB.Tyrrellel-ementaryschoolP.W.Kae-serHighSchoolAuroraCollegeandevenagroupfromtheFortSmithCor-rectionalComplextouredthemuseumandtheusu-allyoff-limitswarehousethroughouttheweek.Wecouldhavedonejustabasicpresentationtorec-ognizeHeritageWeekbutwewantedtooffersome-thingspecificaspecialbehind-the-scenestourDoucetsaid.WedontwanttohaveamuseuminFortSmithjustforthesakeofhavingamuseum.Wewantpeopletoutilizeittoitsmaximumpotential.HeritageWeektoursarejusttherststep.Wewanttodospeciceducationalprogrammingwewanttobuyperiodcostumesforkidstotryonasadifferentlearningmedium.Themuseumhasap-proximately17000arte-facts.AbouttwopercentofthatisondisplayasisthecasewithmostmuseumsDoucetsaid.TheHeritageWeektoursshowedoffalltheadditionalartefactsinstorageinclud-ingtaxidermiedanimalscentury-oldbeadworkandtextilesoldlettersandpho-tosvintagesaddlessewingmachinestelephonesandradiosjusttonameafew.AsfarasDoucetknowsbehind-the-scenestourshaveneverbeenofferedatNorthernLife.ThestuffedwolfismyfavouriteOlieJohnson7saidashissplitGrade23classdartedaroundtheware-houseeagerlyopeningtheheavygreenstoragedrawersafterabriefdiscussionwithDoucetonhowthemuseumkeepstrackofitsartefacts.IlikeseeingoldgunsclassmateKianBerro8addedstaringintentlyatthelimited-edition1970Win-chesterNorthwestTerrito-riesCentennialriebroughtoutbymuseumeventscoor-dinatorDianeSeals.TourswereofferedinbothFrenchandEnglish.Inadditiontotheware-housecomponentDoucetofferedasmallworkshopwhereheexplainedhowthemuseumcollectspreservesandstoresartefacts.WelearnedyoucanttouchanythingwithyourhandsTraceArey7said.Youhavetoalwaysputonthosewhitegloves.AccordingtoDoucetthetourswereasuccesswithsomeclassesschedulingadditionaltours.ThetourshopefullyalsohelpedstudentsintheirownprojectsfortheupcomingannualHeritageFairsatJBTandPWKheadded.NWTHeritageFairsSo-cietysTerritorialShowcasewillbeheldinFortSmiththisyearfromMay9-12andwilldisplay50spe-ciallyselectedprojectsfromstudentsinGrades4to9.Studentssnarerarebehind-the-scenesmuseumtourforHeritageWeekPhotosReneFrancoeurNorthernLifeeventscoordinatorDianeSealsexplainshowtohandleartefactssuchasthe1970WinchesterNorthwestTerritoriesCentennialriewithcare.OlieJohnson7sayshisfavouriteartefactisthestuffedwolf.MuseumdirectorMathieuDoucetshowsGabrielleVienneausGrade23classhowthemuseumdisplayssomeofits17000artefacts.KianBerro8takesapeekathiddenfursthemuseumkeepsinitswarehouse.