Statue of Sir Arthur Doughty officially installed at Library and Archives Canada's Preservation Campus

GATINEAU, QC, Oct. 10, 2025 /CNW/ - Library and Archives Canada (LAC) is pleased to announce that the statue of Sir Arthur Doughty is now accessible to members of the public walking the interpretative trail around LAC's Preservation Campus in Gatineau, Quebec.

Statue of Sir Arthur Doughty officially installed at Library and Archives Canada’s Preservation Campus (CNW Group/Library and Archives Canada)

Originally erected in December 1940 in front of the former National Archives of Canada building at 330 Sussex Drive in Ottawa, Ontario, this statue pays homage to the second Dominion Archivist (1904–1935). In the 1960s, the statue was moved behind 395 Wellington Street, then the location of the National Library and the National Archives of Canada.

As part of the preparations for the opening of Ādisōke--the new facility that LAC will be sharing with the Ottawa Public Library as of 2026--LAC begin restoring this piece of heritage in February 2024 to give it a new home in Gatineau.

Since the end of summer 2025, the statue of Sir Arthur is an integral part of the interpretative trail around the Preservation Centre and the Preservation Storage Facility, the two buildings that make up LAC's Preservation Campus.

About Library and Archives Canada

The mandate of Library and Archives Canada is to acquire and preserve the documentary heritage of Canada for the benefit of present and future generations and to be a source of enduring knowledge accessible to all, contributing to the cultural, social and economic advancement of Canada. Library and Archives Canada also facilitates cooperation among communities involved in the acquisition, preservation and diffusion of knowledge and serves as the continuing memory of the Government of Canada and its institutions.

Quotes

"The relocation of the Sir Arthur Doughty statue represents a continuation of where it has previously stood. A prominent figure in the history of LAC and Canada, Sir Arthur takes up his rightful symbolic place once again. Having also rediscovered his lustre and his pen, he can continue his work: keeping watch over the country's memory, a mission that guided him throughout his career."

– Leslie Weir, Librarian and Archivist of Canada

"I am pleased that the statue of Sir Arthur Doughty has returned home, close to where carefully preserved documents bear witness to the many experiences, stories and cultures that have shaped--and continue to shape--our country's identity as well as our Canadian culture."

--The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages

Quick Facts

• We owe the statue's creation to former prime minister William Lyon Mackenzie King, who was a close friend of Sir Arthur Doughty.
• Sir Arthur Doughty was designated a person of national historic significance in 1991.
• The statue of Sir Arthur Doughty is one of only two statues dedicated to public servants in the National Capital Region, and the first one installed on the Quebec side.

Associated Links

• National Historic Person--Sir Arthur George Doughty
• The statue of Sir Arthur Doughty, Dominion Archivist
• Proud to be peculiar: The little-known story of the Archives Museum
• Ottawa, Ontario--monument to Sir Arthur Doughty
• Répertoire du patrimoine culturel du Québec : Arthur George Doughty
• The Canadian Encyclopedia: Sir Arthur George Doughty

SOURCE Library and Archives Canada

For more information (media only), please contact: Media Relations, Library and Archives Canada, 819-994-4589, [email protected]