Megamunch moving to new museum warehouse in Regina to continue enjoying his retirement

The Royal Saskatchewan Museum is getting a new storage warehouse for its growing fossil and artifact collection, including Megamunch. Wayne Mantyka has more.

The Royal Saskatchewan Museum (RSM) is preparing to move its growing collection of fossils and artifacts into a new warehouse facility in Regina.

Among the artifacts making the move is Megamunch, the museum’s iconic Tyrannosaurus rex model, which has been stored in an older warehouse since retiring from display.

Museum officials say the new space will better protect the province’s growing collection of fossils and research materials.

• Former Regina warehouse to become research facility for Royal Sask. Museum

“Yes, [Megamunch] will be at the new facility and being retired over there living his best life,” said Brie Hnetka, the RSM’s executive director.

The province is relocating museum storage and workshop operations to an empty government-owned warehouse on Park Street as part of a $22 million project focused on preservation and research.

Hnetka said the museum’s current operational space is no longer meeting its needs.

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“This building is no longer conducive for what we need,” she said. “We need more space for our collection and we need to be able to protect our collections a bit better and have a better space for our research and exhibit development.”

Technical and research operations had been based in a government building on Albert Street, just north of the museum. The structure was originally built 102 years ago as the Saskatchewan Government Telephones headquarters and has not undergone significant renovations.

“When a building hits 100 years old, it’s got some age on it, so we’ll have to see where that ends up taking us,” said SaskBuilds and Procurement Minister Sean Wilson.

The Saskatchewan government has not yet decided what will happen to the historic Albert Street building, though its age and architectural features could make it a candidate for future restoration or redevelopment.