Company Profile
Glenbow Museum
Company Overview
At Glenbow, we believe art is for everyone. As Calgary’s art museum, our purpose is to provide vibrant experiences that bring art, history and culture to life. We are committed to expanding the accessibility and impact of arts and culture in our community through exhibitions and programs that provide meaningful experiences for all visitors.
As an independent non-profit member-based organization, we generate over 60% of our operating revenue through fundraising, museum and program admissions, and memberships.
Company History
The Glenbow Foundation was formed in 1954 by Eric L. Harvie, a wealthy Calgary oilman with a strong interest in collecting material relating to the history of western Canada. He developed an important collection of books, art, documents, records, manuscripts, and objects illustrating the material culture of early settlers and native peoples of the area. Eric Harvie’s collecting vision spanned the world, encompassing art and artifacts from North and South America, Europe, Africa and the Orient. He opened a library, archives, museum, and gallery in Calgary to share his collection with the public.
In 1966, Mr. Harvie’s collection, known as the Glenbow Foundation, was formally incorporated as The Glenbow - Alberta Institute by an Act of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Alberta. The Glenbow Museum building was built by the Government of Alberta in 1976 to house the collections and allow them to be exhibited for the enjoyment and enlightenment of the public. Four floors of exhibition space, as well as a public library and archives, offer visitors a rich glimpse into the wide - ranging collections begun by Eric Harvie.
The objectives of the institute are to promote and encourage the acquisition and diffusion of the knowledge of humanity, the arts, history, and the nature of the world in which we live, and to serve the educational and cultural needs of citizens throughout Alberta.
Origin of Our Name
The name “Glenbow” is closely associated with the Eric L. Harvie family and the early development of the West. It was originally coined by the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1907, when it established a small flag station west of Calgary to service a stone quarry which had been established in the area. Because the siding was a little “glen” beside the Bow River, the name Glenbow was chosen.