The Canadian Museum of Civilization in the National Capital is celebrating its 150th birthday. What better time to discover Canada’s most popular museum — and immerse yourself in our nation’s rich cultural history.

A MUSEUM FOR ALL CANADA

Across the Ottawa River from the Parliament Buildings sits the home of Canada’s national history museum and its remarkable collection of artifacts, archives, publications and exhibitions. For 150 years, the Canadian Museum of Civilization has preserved and presented Canada’s heritage at home and abroad. Predating even Confederation, the Museum grew and evolved with the country.

Born out of the Geological Survey of Canada (GSC), which was responsible for exploring and cataloguing Canada’s natural resources, the Canadian Museum of Civilization (CMC) officially started life on May 15, 1856, when the Survey was granted legislative approval and funding to establish a museum.

“At first, the museum was just a few glass cases in the working offices of the geologists in Montreal,” explains CMC archaeologist and curator Ian Dyck. Those original displays of rocks, minerals and Native artifacts were moved to Ottawa in 1881. Since then, the CMC has grown into Canada’s largest and most-visited museum.

Nearly 1.4 million people crossed its threshold last year and another 10 million visited its extensive Web site – all to explore Canada’s rich and varied history and culture.

The Museum’s 150-year transformation from a store of geological samples to a showcase of Canadian history is itself intriguing.

As the GSC’s geologists explored the far reaches of the country, collecting samples of mineral wealth, they took notice of how these resources were put to use by First Peoples. Their first few finds – a handful of stone implements, pipes, and pottery fragments – were displayed in the office of Sir William Logan, the GSC’s first director. Later scientists, such as George Dawson (Dawson City’s namesake), also began documenting the traditions and languages of the people who made and used these objects. Along the way, the CMC fostered exploration and helped
develop salvage-and-preservation programs across the country.

The Museum’s intense interest in who Canadians are and how we live expanded through two World Wars, numerous moves and name changes. A fire that destroyed Parliament in 1916 meant the Museum was temporarily pushed out of the Victoria Memorial Museum Building to make room for the House of Commons.

Today, the Museum’s collection ranges from Haida masks to 17th century French-Canadian furniture, hamplain’s astrolabe to Randy Bachman’s guitar. It even holds the pistol believed to have fired the bullet that assassinated Father of Confederation Thomas D’Arcy McGee. The national collection mirrors the experiences of Canada’s first settlers, its immigrants from around the world and its original inhabitants.

The building that houses all this also echoes our natural history. Designed by architect Douglas Cardinal, the CMC’s fluid curves mimic those carved into the land by glaciers and rivers. On the opposite bank of the Ottawa River, just a few minutes away, the CMC’s partner institution, the Canadian War Museum, tells the military aspect of the country’s human history.

The Canadian Museum of Civilization has become an important site for national and international events – and a symbolic face that Canada presents to the world. “When Nelson Mandela eceived his honorary Canadian citizenship, it was celebrated here,” notes Museum President and CEO Dr. Rabinovitch. “During Queen Elizabeth’s last visit, the official dinner in her honour was held here. The Museum has become an iconic setting for Canadian activities of high public purpose.”

People from around the world have long shown a keen interest in what Canada has to show and tell. At the 1851 World’s Exhibition in London, six million people – nearly twice Canada’s population at the time – visited the Canadian display organized by Sir William Logan. This episode fuelled Logan’s vision to create a permanent museum.

“Very early, Canada was showing up extremely well on the world stage,” says Dr. Dyck. “The Museum of Civilization is now drawing the same kind of attention.” That attention is likely to spike this year as the Museum celebrates its 150th anniversary with an exciting lineup of exhibitions and activities.

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