A pioneer in the fields of anthropology and folk culture, Marius Barbeau's (1883-1969) work won international acclaim. In 1985 he was recognized as a "person of national historic importance" by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada.

Barbeau's first research interest was the Native peoples of Eastern Canada, especially the Huron. His research included the songs, customs, legends, art and social organization of Native cultures in the Western and Prairie regions. Next he turned to French Canada, popularizing the songs, folk legends and popular and traditional art through numerous books and articles.

Barbeau was an inveterate collector - from French Canada some 400 folk tales and 7,000 songs were collected, along with 2,000 artifacts from across Canada. His writings total over 1,000 books and articles, and he has left more than 30 linear metres of research notes.