we tell the stories
of the PEOPLEPLACES, THINGS,
and MOMENTS that make Edmonton our city.

Launched in 2013, the Edmonton City as Museum Project (ECAMP) is an initiative of the Edmonton Heritage Council exploring the history of our city through story.

Gathering on the Garden Court courtyard grass.

Wallbridge and Imrie are having a moment

In 1950, Jean Wallbridge and Mary Imrie started Canada’s first all-female architectural firm. That partnership was trailblazing in its own right, but they were also romantic partners. The modernist houses, apartment buildings, and schools they designed around Alberta reflect an appreciation for nature, privacy, and the well-being of their users. Over the past month we’ve hosted two events to let Edmontonians get to know Wallbridge and Imrie a little better.

Read More on the Curator’s Blog.

Explore the stories that connect us, the stories that divide us,
and the stories that nurture an appreciation of our differences as Edmontonians.

Featured Story

Maud Bowman: The leader who kickstarted the Art Gallery of Alberta

Danielle Siemens,  November 19, 2024

A black and white photograph of Maud Bowman - a middle-aged woman shown in profile from the shoulders up. She wears a v-cut black top with a long white pearl necklace and her hair is pulled back into a low bun.
Maud Bowman, date unknown. Courtesy of Art Gallery of Alberta and City of Edmonton Archives, MS-1220.6.2

“Maud Bowman oversaw all of the Museum’s early activities—including writing the constitution, organizing visiting artist lectures, mounting exhibitions, building an art collection and securing public space.”
– Danielle Siemens

With the Art Gallery of Alberta turning 100 years old, our latest ECAMP article looks back at the hidden labour behind its foundation. The AGA’s Danielle Siemens introduces us to the gallery’s first director, Maud Bowman.

The story shows Maud Bowman’s tenacity and personal sacrifices, like using her own funds to buy materials for children’s art classes when grants ran out. It also shows the sexism she faced in life and death.

Looking for information on sharing images from our collection?
Check out our info page On Images and Copyright


Collections

Browse our curated collections

ECAMP Stories explore the People, Places, Things, & Moments significant to our city from the perspectives of Edmontonians.

Delve into these curated story collections to discover more about the history of this place.

Special Exhibitions

Explore our curated exhibitions

Explore our three exhibits including Edmonton Living Rooms, Armistice, and Black Presence in Alberta. These exhibitions highlight significant people, places, things, and moments in our city’s history from unique perspectives.

Discover more about Edmonton through these rich, immersive exhibits.

Podcast

Listen to our ECAMP Podcast

Episodes of our past seasons are archived online. Stay tuned for our new season wherever you get your podcasts by subscribing!

Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Amazon Music/Audible

Check out our upcoming in-person and online events
that bring our vibrant history and culture to life!

YEG Trivia Night at Canadian Brewhouse.

November 19, 2024, 6:30pm – 8:30pm

Put your Edmonton knowledge to the test! The Edmonton City as Museum Project (ECAMP) presents an evening of local history trivia at Canadian Brewhouse (Downtown).

Discover the secrets, scandals, and surprising stories hiding in plain sight around our city. Shock your friends with random Edmonton facts for months to come.

Quizmasters: Chris Chang-Yen Phillips from ECAMP and local rogue Kristy Harcourt

Team Size: Up to 4 people per team

Cost: $5 per player

Theme: Edmonton Queer History

Prizes: Fabulous Edmonton-themed prizes to be won!

GLAD YOU CLOSER HOME /
NEW WHITE WHISKER MARY

September 20 – December 7, 2024

Mary Imrie (1918 – 1988) and Jean Wallbridge (1912 – 1979) operated their architecture firm—the first run by women in Canada—at Six Acres, the home they built for their work and life together overlooking the North Saskatchewan River in west Edmonton.

When Mary Imrie passed away, she bequeathed the records of their remarkable architectural practice and adventurous life, along with their home, to the province of Alberta.

With a title borrowed from a telegram in the collection, GLAD YOU CLOSER HOME / NEW WHITE WHISKER MARY is Cait McKinney and Hazel Meyer’s immersive exhibition that playfully imagines and speculates in the spaces between the correspondence, amateur super-8 recordings, and modernist buildings that Imrie and Wallbridge left behind.

*Artist Talk & Opening Reception, Thursday, September 19