Hudson’s Hope Museum

The Hudson’s Hope Museum sits on the picturesque banks of the Peace River.  After the exploratory adventures of Alexander Mackenzie & Simon Fraser in the later 1700s, the Northwest Trading Company established a fur trading post here in 1805, later becoming the Hudson’s Bay Company.  Originally the main museum building was the Hudson’s Bay Store built in 1942 and operated until 1954. 

Hudson’s Hope Museum: Owned & operated by the Hudson’s Hope Historical Society since 1967

Hudson’s Hope is home to:

-WAC Bennett Dam which in 1968 created “Williston Lake”; B.C.’s largest reservoir.

-Peace Canyon Dam in 1980 created the second reservoir ”Dinosaur Lake”.

-A third dam on the Peace River, “Site C”, will see Hudson’s Hope at the end of the reservoir it creates.

Attractions at the museum include:

-A hand-hewn building, donated by the Rutledge Family houses a large collection of mounted animals and guide & outfitting memorabilia donated by the Powell Family. This is a one-of-a-kind collection. Paying homage to the Guides & Outfitters of British Columbia

-The Peck House shows what a typical pioneer house was like.

-The MacDonald Cabin houses the museum’s collection of trapping artefacts.

-The Machine Shed houses a small collection which includes, Hudson’s Hope’s first fire engine, a “donkey” engine and coal cart.