Moncur Gallery

The Moncur Gallery opened in 1986, consisting primarily of artifacts from the private collection of Bill Moncur. This collection took a lifetime to gather and shows the great esteem that Bill had for the history of his hometown and the area. Today’s exhibit titled “The Peoples of the Plains” also displays artifacts that have been donated by other amateur archaeologists, which has aided in the enrichment and expansion of Bill’s original collection. Through these combined efforts, the Moncur Gallery presents an image of the transition of life in the Turtle Mountain area over 10,000 years. The exhibit focuses on pre-contact First Nations artifacts that reveal the activities of daily life, from cooking and food prep methods, to revolutionary weapons and hunting strategies, as well as typical games and ceremonial items. The tour includes the rise of the Métis culture in the area from the combination of First Nations and European traditions, into a new and distinct way of life. Over the centuries, the Turtle Mountain region changed drastically and so did the people along with the resources and wildlife available. Discover the animals that once inhabited the area with our rare mammoth fossil display and our complete bison skeleton. Learn all about the resourcefulness of those who first roamed the prairies and the adaptations they made along the way as the world around them changed.