Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society

Heraldry of the World

Canada heraldry portal
Civic heraldry of Canada
Armorial Canadienne

Arms of provinces and territories
Arms of cities, districts, towns, municipalities, townships and/or villages
Arms of universities and schools
Arms of religious institutions
Institutional heraldry of Canada
Corporate heraldry of Canada
Military heraldry of Canada
Heraldic stamps from Canada
Heraldic postcards from Canada
Total pages in the Canadian section : 1,502

THUNDER BAY HISTORICAL MUSEUM SOCIETY

Official blazon

Arms : Purpure on a pale of birchbark proper between two keys wards in base Or, an hourglass proper its stand Purpure
Crest : An open book Argent bound Purpure in front of a demi-compass rose Or
Motto : LEARNING FROM HISTORY

Origin/meaning

The arms were officially granted on October 15, 2006.

Purple and gold represent the mineral wealth of the Thunder Bay region. The colour purple represents the gemstone amethyst, which has been designated as the provincial mineral of Ontario. Keys are frequently used as a symbol for museums, indicating both the unlocking of knowledge of the treasures of the past and the safeguarding of that knowledge and those treasures. The unique use of birchbark represents the Ojibway culture and Midewiwin scrolls, which record in pictographic images the traditions of the Midewiwin society of the Ojibway people. It also represents the birchbark canoe used for transportation and commerce in the fur trade era of Canadian history. The hourglass is symbolic of the passage of time.

The compass rose indicates exploration, both in its historical sense and in the concept of intellectual exploration. The open book represents the Museum’s archival collection and its research and publishing mandate.