Heritage Tree

The Exploration Place is excited to bring back our community heritage Christmas tree. This 16-foot natural tree is the centerpiece of the Museum’s Christmas Celebrations and has been raised almost every year since the tradition began in 1995.

Our community version of a traditional family tree, the museum tree houses a collection of community memories symbolic of Prince George citizens that have become a part of the museum’s permanent collection.

Over the past 24 years, we have collected hundreds of ornaments donated from the community that commemorate important personal and community events. The tree is full of special moments like baby’s first Christmas, graduations, and remembrances of passed loved ones. The tree uniquely captures memories of everyone who has contributed to it.

In 1995, the first year the Heritage tree was established, the Dunbar family hung a bell with a message that says, “The bell for us symbolizes the ringing of the news of Christ’s birth and the music of Christmas”. The same year Anne Martin donated a watering can ornament that spoke of her love of gardening.