A popular small-town Alberta museum featuring stuffed rodents in tiny costumes is going into hibernation until it can find a new building that better meets its needs.
Laura Kurta, museum director, told The Epoch Times that the hamlet built the museum 30 years ago, while her parents, Otto and Dianne, helped operate it. She took over as director in 2020, which she admitted she hadn’t wanted to do at first, but knew it would close permanently if she didn’t step in.
“And my parents have worked so hard and put so much effort into it that I wanted to make sure it went on,” she said.
The museum opened in 1996 and features stuffed Richardson’s ground squirrels, commonly called gophers in Western Canada, in dioramas dressed in costumes. It was launched with a provincial startup grant but has been self-sufficient since, relying on admission fees and its gift shop.
The World Famous Gopher Hole Museum in the Hamlet of Torrington, about 120 kilometres north of Calgary, features dioramas of stuffed gophers in hilarious costumes and scenes. Courtesy The World Famous Gopher Hole Museum
Of the roughly 15,000 people who visit annually, many are seniors, so after the building reopened following the pandemic, Kurta said she thought they would return—but they didn’t. However, she said the museum still means so much to many people, who create memories through visits and by holding events there.
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The museum is open three months a year, spread out throughout the year. However, Kurta said the museum was forced to close its doors this year because its two historical buildings are not in good condition.
A 110-year-old one-room schoolhouse contains a gift shop with artists’ work, while a connected 60-year-old grain elevator houses the gopher displays. Kurta said both venues become “extraordinarily hot” and very humid during the summer.
“And there’s nothing we can really do to fix that. We can’t open up the walls and put in more insulation because we don’t know if it’s sawdust or asbestos,” she continued.
Other structural issues include wood rot, flooring degradation, foundational sinkage, and disintegrating piles.
The World Famous Gopher Hole Museum in the Hamlet of Torrington, about 120 kilometres north of Calgary, features dioramas of stuffed gophers in hilarious costumes and scenes. Courtesy The World Famous Gopher Hole Museum
Kurta said she doesn’t want to jeopardize visitors’ health and safety, and she wants to protect the displays from any further damage. Meanwhile, the buildings will remain closed, as she and the board look for alternatives to showcasing the cuddly rodents, whether using a temporary location or via pop-up displays.
“We’re not entirely sure, but we’re working on it. This just all happened rather suddenly, and the interest in this has been overwhelming,” she added. “We haven’t had time to breathe and sit down and discuss it.”
Kurta said her favourite part of running the museum is hearing people laugh when they see gophers dressed in peculiar ways. She thought the museum brought joy to a less-than-happy world and offered visitors “this silly little bit of enjoyment that they seem to absolutely love.”
The museum director also liked that people held celebratory events on site, that the museum had staying power across decades, and that the venue welcomed everyone regardless of their differences.
“What I’ve really grown to appreciate is how much this place means to a lot of people, and that’s important,” Kurta added.
The World Famous Gopher Hole Museum in the Hamlet of Torrington, about 120 kilometres north of Calgary, features dioramas of stuffed gophers in hilarious costumes and scenes. This critter is dressed up battle armour. Courtesy The World Famous Gopher Hole Museum
Kurta said more than a dozen contractors have reviewed the buildings’ condition, but none want to touch the issue for fear of damaging the gopher museum. She noted that the board wants more space to expand displays and to offer programming, while the building will never be able to install humidity controls to pursue proper taxidermy.
“We just want to continue being part of people’s lives, and the gophers have not gone anywhere,” Kurta added with a laugh. “They’re just on hiatus.”
The Canadian Press contributed to this report.
