Since 1958, The Chilliwack Museum and Archives have been collecting objects and records related to the history of the Chilliwack area. Communities represented in the collection include Chilliwack, Sardis, Rosedale, Yarrow, Greendale, Columbia Valley, Chilliwack River Valley, Popkum, Cheam, East Chilliwack, Ryder Lake, Promontory, Cultus Lake, Camp River and Fairfield Island.

The Archives collection contains a significant collection of photographs (over 20,000) and maps, oral histories, numerous records from individuals, families, clubs, businesses, churches, schools and community organizations and municipal government records dating from the incorporation of the Township of Chilliwhack in 1873. Original and microfilmed copies of The Chilliwack Progress dating from 1891 to the present. Archives staff continue to actively acquire records from the community.

The object collection includes Sto:lo First Nations material as well as numerous objects dating from the 1860's to the present. Staff are continuously adding to the collection.

Sometime between 5,000 and 10,000 years ago the Sto:lo first arrived in the Chilliwack area. The Fraser and Chilliwack River systems and the nearby forests and mountains provided different foods for the Sto:lo. At the time of first contact it is estimated that there may have been as many as 30,000 people living within Sto:lo territory.

In 1857, word filtered from British Columbia that gold had been found in the Fraser River canyon area. By the end of 1858, over 30,000 gold miners, mostly Americans but some from Eastern Canada, found their way to the gold fields. Almost all of the miners travelled through the Chilliwack area. A few recognized Chilliwack's agricultural potential and stayed in the area. By the mid 1860's a handful of farms were established around the Fraser River steamboat landings called Miller's Landing and Chilliwack Landing. These early agriculturists produced meat and dairy products that were shipped by riverboat and freight wagons to the gold fields.

The Museum and Archives traces its collection to this time period. Since then Chilliwack has become a significant regional centre with a diverse economy. While agriculture continues to be an obvious contributor to the area, small businesses and industries as well as government services add to the area's diversity. It is these activities that are well documented in the Museum and Archives collection.