The Unique Story of The REM

memoryKPR

3 min read

Stories connect us. They help build bridges between people, beliefs, cultures and communities. We at memoryKPR have made it our number one priority to connect the world through stories. People often use our technology to protect and share their own stories. However, we sometimes get to work with others and become a part of their story while they become a part of ours. This is the case with The REM, The Regina Eco Museum Without Walls. We at memoryKPR got to see their beautiful stories come together, and we have also seen the incredible blueprint that they have in front of them to knit an entire community together through stories. Recently we sat down with Tenille Bryan, the REM’s Project Coordinator and one of the many visionaries behind this project, to learn more about their organization's programs and mission. We went in curious and left inspired. We hope it has the same impact on you, too.

What is The REM?

The REM started in 1961 as the Regina Plain’s Museum before transitioning into The Civic Museum of Regina. They had trouble getting funding and customers and found that the museum wasn’t serving the community in a meaningful way. They have since switched to an eco-museum platform in 2018 with a mission to ”[build] communities inspired by learning and sharing stories of the past and present that challenges and connects us all.” They have since had a great increase in engagement and contributions from their community members.

What is an Ecomuseum Without Walls?

An ecomuseum is a museum that primarily focuses on the identity of a place. It is largely based on local participation and aims to enhance the welfare and development of local communities. The REM chooses to be “without walls,” opening the museum to the whole community and bringing stories to them uniquely and effectively. “People that are going to museums, they typically are always the same group. The nice thing about having a museum ‘without walls’ is that there is a wider diversity in the audience.”

What Programs is The REM Currently Working On?

The REM has a few programs that have started in the past year. Story Stops is one of the programs where The REM uses benches around the town to display unique collections and artifacts from the community. These displays are accompanied by a QR code powered by memoryKPR explaining the history behind the pieces. The REM is also planning to use memoryKPR to collect stories from the community and showcase them in the neighbourhoods.

What’s the Importance of Sharing Story?

The REM truly believes in the power of storytelling for building strong communities. When a story is shared, it contributes towards creating a diverse and safe space for others to feel connected. Giving them a platform to tell a story is incredibly empowering, and having a receptive community is extremely comforting. “Everyone has their own unique story, and they all deserve to be shared.”

How memoryKPR is Supporting The. REM’s Mission

Other than Story Stops, The REM is currently working on a program called “Write On,” a type of pen-pal program in schools and senior homes, uploading letters to share. “memoryKPR has allowed us to tell more than just our story. The best feature is that we can get contributions from our community that normally wouldn’t contribute to the museum.”

We at memoyKPR echo the Tenille's statement about storytelling and building strong communities. Check out The REM to learn more about their community stories, and keep storytelling alive. The future of storytelling is strong.