The Humboldt and District Museum welcomed guest speaker Chrystene Ells Friday night.

Ells is the curator of the new exhibit "Hello In There/Hello Out There", which features 15 memory boxes created by seniors in Saskatchewan care and retirement homes.

Each box contains audio as well as a written story. Some of the boxes are left behind by those who have passed away as a means of sharing their life with the world.

Ells noted that it is also a way for seniors to reconnect with their past.

"Even in the homes, a lot of these people grew up together. They all went to school together and now they're in a home together," she said. "They all have shared experiences. They remember the school, or a certain person or teacher. They all had a certain shared experience around milking or different things like that."

She added that art is also a way to engage seniors as they head towards the end of their lives and create peace.

"I think I would like to continue working in seniors homes and also bereavement and hospice and palliative care, because I think art work can really help with that stage, the end of life."

The majority of the work was created by seniors in the Regina area, which made Ells want to show the work to the rest of the province.

"We didn't get too far from Regina, but that is one of the reasons we wanted to send the tour around is to maybe inspire other communities or organizations."

A workshop is being held with Ells Saturday from 1:00 to 4:00pm, inviting your family to create a memory journal.

The exhibit is on display at the museum until March 23.

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