The John & Olive Diefenbaker Museum National Historic Site of Canada - Historic Places Days

The John & Olive Diefenbaker Museum National Historic Site of Canada

Prince Albert, Saskatchewan
Type
House Museum/Homestead
Address
246 19th Street West, Prince Albert, SK, Canada
Get directions
Hours
Summer Hours 9:00-17:00 daily Winter Hours by appointment only
Phone
(306) 953-4863

The John and Olive Diefenbaker Museum building was constructed in 1911 for Harry Jaffray, the manager of the local Imperial Bank of Canada. He and his family left Prince Albert by the end of World War I.

In 1947, John and Edna Diefenbaker purchased the home, living there until Edna’s death in 1951. John married Olive Palmer in 1953 and they lived in the house while in Prince Albert until 1957. When Diefenbaker became Prime Minister their principal residence was in Ottawa.  During this period they rented the house until donating it to the City in 1977 for the purpose of becoming a museum. The museum opened in 1983 with help from the Diefenbaker Canada Centre in Saskatoon.

It wasn’t until 2014 that the house became a municipal heritage site.  In 2019, the house was dedicated as a National Historic Site on the 40th anniversary of Diefenbaker’s death.

John Diefenbaker was Canada’s thirteenth Prime Minister from 1957 to 1963 and was the Prince Albert riding’s Member of Parliament from 1953 to 1979. The house is furnished with artefacts from the Diefenbaker’s residence in Ottawa; however there are a few items that were originally located in the Prince Albert house.

Amenities

  • Family-Friendly
  • Guided Tour
  • National Historic Site
  • Parking

Fun Facts

  • Diefenbaker left this house to the city of Prince Albert prior to his passing so that it could be made into a museum.
  • The museum has pieces of furniture that belonged to two different Prime Ministers!
  • Even the logs in the living room fireplace came from Diefenbaker’s Ottawa residence.

Location

246 19th Street West, Prince Albert, SK, Canada
Get directions

Nearby Places

Prince Albert Arts Centre

Prince Albert, Saskatchewan
Community Arts Centre offering programs, rental space, a Gallery and a Pottery Studio.
View Place | Get Directions

Prince Albert Historical Museum

Prince Albert, Saskatchewan
Explore the history of Prince Albert at the Historical Museum in the old Firehall.
View Place | Get Directions

Evolution of Education Museum

Prince Albert, Saskatchewan
A one room school house teaching the history of education and teachers in SK.
View Place | Get Directions

Rotary Museum of Police & Corrections

Prince Albert, Saskatchewan
A guardhouse for the Northwest Mounted Police turned into a museum in 1985.
View Place | Get Directions

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