About Us
The Malagash Area Heritage Association is an organization of volunteers dedicated to preserving the history and culture of the Malagash area. The Malagash Salt Miners' Museum is its primary project, filled with artifacts and pieces of the past.
Since its inception in the mid 1990’s, a group of historically minded residents from the Malagash area have operated the museum and maintained the collection of artifacts to retain the history of Malagash and the Salt Mine that operated here. The Malagash Area Heritage Association (MAHA), which operates the museum, has been a society since October 18, 1993. During the summer of 1994, the initial displays were open to the public on the mezzanine level at the Jost winery, as a trial run to test out public interest. Encouraged by the response, the Association found the space in the basement level of the original Miner’s Union Hall and opened the museum to the public for the summer of 1995.
With the passing of many of the original organizers and the change in residency of the area, there have been unexpected challenges in operating the museum and caring for the collection, the Heritage Association would like to continue the work and acknowledge that change is important and welcome new people and new ideas for the group.
Our short-term goal is to obtain the yearly funding for operating the museum, which has been challenging the last two years, as many have experienced. There has been an aspiration since early days of the museum to have a dedicated space, in a new building for the collection, to allow for growth of the story telling ability of the museum and growth of community.
The museum displays have been lovingly donated or loaned to provide a much needed tie to the local history as living memory fades. Over the years, the dedicated work of our curators, assistant curators and summer students has allowed the stories to live on.
Who are we but the stories we carry and create?
Mission Statement
1) To collect, conserve, and exhibit materials related to the Malagash Salt Mine, the first rock salt mine in the former British Empire, throughout its 41 years of operation, together with contextual artifacts related to the community's heritage and lifestyle, past and present.
2) To establish and operate a local museum for the preservation and exhibition of the above materials, and to maintain the monument which commemorates the mine.
