MacKenzie Art Gallery

The art museum originates from the collections of Norman MacKenzie, who bequeathed his collection to the Regina College (later the University of Regina) in 1936. The college established an art museum to exhibit MacKenzie's collection in 1953, known as the Norman MacKenzie Art Gallery. The establishment of a museum that year makes the Mackenzie Art Gallery the oldest public art museum in the province of Saskatchewan. In 1998, the MacKenzie Art Gallery became the first public art museum in Canada to appoint an indigenous Canadian as its head curator. The donation was endowed to the South Saskatchewan Community Foundation, which helps to manage and disperse the funds on the museum's behalf. However, shortly after announcing the introduction of admission fees, the museum announced it would offer free admission to the second floor gallery 12 days each year, over the next five years. The free admission program was funded through a C$1 million private donation to the museum. ==Architecture==

The museum property is situated at the southwestern edge of Wascana Centre, an urban park centred around an artificial lake, and Wascana Creek. The museum's building is a multipurpose space, with parts of the building space dedicated to museum use, whereas other parts are used as office space for several provincial departments and ministries. The building is approximately , although some portions of the building are not used by the museum. The building contains eight galleries, which includes of exhibition space. In addition to its exhibits, the museum also maintains technical areas including a conservation lab, workshop, preparation rooms, a 185-seat theatre, storage facilities, gift shop and conference rooms. The museum's white Tyndall stone facade building was originally erected as a government office building in 1978, and was named after former Premier of Saskatchewan, Tommy Douglas. The renovations to the building was conducted in order meet environmental sensitivity needs for the exhibition of certain artworks. In addition to the building, the museum also maintains an outdoor sculpture garden located southwest of the building's main entrance. The sculpture garden was opened on Canada Day in 1999. The sculpture garden exhibits works from the museum's permanent collection, as well as other works on long-term loan from the Saskatchewan Arts Board. ==Permanent collection==

(1900). The sculpture is a part of the museum's permanent collection. As of 2019, the museum's permanent collection holds over 5,000 works, spanning a period of 5,000 years. The museum was one of the first Canadian art museums to exhibit works from indigenous Canadian as pieces of fine art, exhibiting its first piece in 1975. The museum also has a number of outdoor artworks in its permanent collection, most of which are exhibited at the MacKenzie Sculpture Garden, situated south of the museum building. The sculpture garden includes the Bronze Mother and Child II statute by Jacques Lipchitz. The museum intended for the commissioned work to reflect on the country's national commemoration, efforts on reconciliation, and intercultural relations. The artwork was installed in May 2018, on the exterior facade of the building, facing Albert Street. Titled Kâkikê/Forever by Duane Linklater, the piece is made up of large custom-built acrylic letters made of LED lights and aluminum and read "As long as the sun shines, the river flows. ==Publications==

The art museum has issued a number of publications. A selected sample of these publications include: • • • • • • == See also ==