Hodul'eh-a: A Place of Learning

The Exploration Place Museum and Science Centre and the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation, Prince George (British Columbia)

On June 21, 2017, the Exploration Place Museum and Science Centre in Prince George, British Columbia, and the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation entered into a historic partnership with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding. The agreement named the museum as the legal repository for Lheidli T’enneh materials, with the goal of repatriating collections held by other institutions and creating a central home for the nation’s cultural assets.

To mark this milestone in their longstanding partnership, the Exploration Place Museum and the Lheidli T’enneh opened a new permanent gallery called Hodul’eh-a — A Place of Learning. The museum and gallery is located within Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park — the site of the traditional hunting grounds and village for the Lheidli T’enneh Nation.

The gallery is a learning place for community members, with open programming space to allow for knowledge transfer, research, cultural expression, and healing. Hodul’eh-a – A Place of Learning serves as a model for how Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities can work together to reclaim traditional spaces, protect cultural assets and promote a greater understanding and respect for Indigenous history and experiences.