The federal government is investing $400,000 to honour the 175th anniversary of the heritage building that houses Le Musée de Saint-Boniface in Winnipeg. The historic structure currently serves as a gathering place to discover Francophone, Red River Métis and First Nations communities in Manitoba, and has served as many other functions since 1851, including a convent, a hospital, a hospice and a school.

The funding will help preserve the building. Renovated spaces will expand cultural programming, such as hosting exhibitions, performances, screenings, outdoor installations and artist residencies. The project will also foster participation of the community, as well as artists and heritage experts from the region.

“For generations, this historic place has carried the stories of our Francophone, Métis and broader community, and today it continues to serve as a museum where those stories can be preserved, shared and understood,” said the non-profit’s executive director Cindy Desrochers. “This funding will help us continue the careful preservation of the building so that it remains a living place of heritage, learning and community for generations to come.”

The investment is made possible through the Legacy Fund component of the Building Communities through Arts and Heritage program.