Our Story

Exceptional things can happen when the love of art and a commitment to its exhibition come together. In the 1970s, the vision of a few dedicated people in our community gave life to the idea of an art gallery for Thunder Bay.

Initially, a small gallery was opened within the Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society’s space. In just two years’ time, the vision had expanded and capital funds were secured to construct a National Exhibition Centre on the campus of Confederation College.

The efforts of Dr. John Augustine, his wife Annette Augustine, and other Historical Museum Society board members came to fruition in 1976 with the official opening of a 4,000 sq ft facility.

In fact, the Gallery was one of 26 newly-established national exhibition centres opened in Canadian communities. The vision of a place for the display and interpretation of art in our community was truly taking shape.

By 1982, the Thunder Bay National Exhibition Centre and Centre for Indian Art – as the Gallery was called then – had evolved into the facility we know today with three exhibition galleries, a collection storage area and new capacity for exhibition and acquisition of art.

We have continued to grow. Today, we have more than 1600 works of art in our Permanent Collection. Over 30,000 people visit us each year.

Every day, the Gallery provides school tours, hosts artistic events or shares our space with community groups. We’ve become the cultural hub committed to contemporary Indigenous, local and regional art that our founders envisioned.