Canada's National Museum of History and Society
 Museum building (left) and administration area (right) |
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| Data | |
|---|---|
| place | 100 Laurier Street, Gatineau QC, Canada 
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| Art |
Museum of cultural history
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| architect | Douglas Cardinal |
| opening | 1856 |
| Number of visitors (annually) | ~ 1,300,000 |
| operator |
Canadian Museum of History Corporation
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| management |
Mark O'Neill (President and CEO)
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| Website | |
Canada's National Museum of History and Society ( English Canadian Museum of History because of the state Canadian bilingualism, also French Musée canadien de l'histoire , until 2013 English Canadian Museum of Civilization , French Musée canadien des civilizations ) in Gatineau ( Québec ) is that most visited museum in the country. In addition, it is one of the most important research institutions with a focus on archeology , history , ethnology and folklore (folk culture) .
history
The origins of the museum go back to the time before the founding of Canada, because it emerged from the Geological and Natural History Museum of the Geological Survey of Canada , founded in Montreal in 1843, in 1856 . This should give an overview of the geographical conditions of the British area at that time. In 1881 the company moved to Ottawa .
In 1927 the museum was incorporated into the National Museum of Canada . In 1968 it was spun off as the National Museum of Man and renamed the Canadian Museum of Civilization in 1986 . The museum is run by the Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation , which is also responsible for the Canadian War Museum .
Victor Rabinovitch has been the director since April 2000, but his exhibition policy is controversial. He was sharply criticized by Jean Chrétien after he canceled an exhibition on Arab culture that had been in preparation for five years and was to open on October 18 and 19, 2001, after September 11 . Chrétien instructed him to hold the exhibition. Because of his critical attitude to the bombing raids on German cities during the Second World War , he was criticized by veterans' associations .
architecture
The current building on the Ottawa River opened on June 29, 1989. It is considered a masterpiece of architecture, but has been criticized for its high cost. It was designed by Douglas Cardinal . As it is meant to represent the landscape and cultures of Canada, only native materials were used in its construction. The design takes on numerous elements of indigenous cultures.
Outdoor area
Administration building and library
Visitor entrance to the museum
Permanent exhibitions
The focus of the exhibitions as well as the research is the history of Canada since the first human settlement. The Great Hall is dedicated to the culture of the indigenous people of the west coast and the Hall of the indigenous people to other indigenous peoples, while the Hall of Canadian Personalities mainly introduces personalities from recent history.
The museum building also houses the Postal Museum, the Virtual Museum of New France and a children's museum.
Entrance hall
The entrance hall with its 112 m long and 15 m high glass walls overlooks the Ottawa River and Parliament Hill . Opposite this opening are numerous totem poles and six house facades in front of the huge photo of a rainforest . A green version of the Spirit of Haida-Gwaii (the black one is in the US capital) by Bill Reid compliments this representation of West Coast cultures.
Hall of the Aborigines
The Indigenous Hall represents the full range of indigenous cultures in Canada. There are three different departments. The Aboriginal Presence exhibits the cultures themselves, An Ancient Bond with the Land emphasizes the relationships to the natural environment and Arrival of Strangers - The Last 500 Years provides exhibits on the relationship between the Europeans arriving since 1500 and the indigenous people.
Canada Hall
Above is the Canada Hall , designed as a journey through time that begins with the arrival of the Normans around AD 1000. At the same time, it is intended to present the historical traditions between the provinces and territories. A Basque whaling ship (approx. 1560) was reconstructed, a farmhouse from New France , a stretch of road from Ontario , plus originals such as a Ukrainian church transferred from Alberta or a fishing boat from British Columbia . The contributions of the waves of immigration, but also the resistance encountered by new ethnic groups, are discussed. Actors dressed in clothes belonging to the respective epoch are also contact persons for the visitors.
Canada face to face
On the top floor, important personalities from the fields of culture, economy and politics are the focus of Canadian history. The exhibition opened on July 29, 2007.
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literature
- Christy Vodden, Ian Dyck: A world inside: a 150-year history of the Canadian Museum of Civilization , Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation, Gatineau 2006
- Lower Saxony State Museum Hanover (Ed.): Indians of Canada. Treasures of the Canadian Museum of Civilization. Hannover 2009. ISBN 978-3-929444-37-7 (The book also describes the history of the museum.)
Web links
- Official website (English, French)
Individual evidence
- ↑ CMC: Canada's most visited museum celebrates 150th anniversary as of February 6, 2008
- ↑ About the Corporation, expand the "Mission" section
- ^ Debates of the Senate, September 27, 2001