Wilson Foundation supports educational outreach by the Canadian Museum of History

May 3, 2017

MEDIA RELEASE

For immediate release

Gatineau, Quebec, May 3, 2017 — Teachers and students across Canada will benefit from a generous donation announced today by the Canadian Museum of History. The Wilson Foundation has pledged $600,000 towards an educational Outreach and Engagement Project linked to the Canadian History Hall, the Museum’s new signature exhibition.

Opening on July 1, 2017, the 150th anniversary of Confederation, the Canadian History Hall will be the largest, most comprehensive exhibition about Canadian history ever created. The donation from the Wilson Foundation will help fund the development and delivery of complementary online and travelling resources that will benefit students, schools and communities across the country.

“The Canadian History Hall will be one of the premier legacy gifts of Canada’s sesquicentennial. The Canadian Museum of History and the Wilson Foundation share a keen interest in engaging Canada’s youth in their history and heritage, wherever in the country they live,” said Mark O’Neill, the Museum’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “The Museum is very grateful for the Foundation’s generous gift, and equally excited by the opportunities it will create.”

The programs supported by the Wilson Foundation will respond to the curriculum requirements of each province.

“As Canada celebrates the 150th anniversary of Confederation, it is important for key institutions to reach out across the country,” said Lynton “Red” Wilson, the Foundation’s chair. “The Wilson Foundation is proud to make this contribution to the Canadian History Hall, which we hope will benefit youth from coast to coast to coast for many years to come.”

The Canadian History Hall will present Canada’s story like it has never been seen before. Visitors will encounter Canada’s national history, as told through the diverse experiences and perspectives of the people who lived it, in an exhibition that brings together a collective story of conflict, struggle and loss, and also of success, achievement and hope. This new signature exhibition illuminates the enduring legacy of Canada’s past — a legacy that is alive, relevant and continually unfolding in the Canada we know today.

The development of the Hall and its public programming is funded by the federal government and by contributions from private donors throughout the country.

Located on the shores of the Ottawa River in Gatineau, Quebec, the Canadian Museum of History attracts over 1.2 million visitors each year. The Museum’s principal role is to enhance Canadians’ knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the events, experiences, people and objects that have shaped Canada’s history and identity, as well as to enhance Canadians’ awareness of world history and culture. Work of the Canadian History Museum is made possible in part through financial support of the Government of Canada.

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Media contacts:
Stéphanie Verner
Media Relations Officer
Telephone: 819-776-7169
Email: stephanie.verner@historymuseum.ca

Éliane Laberge
Social Media and Media Relations Officer
Telephone: 819-776-7097
Email: eliane.laberge@historymuseum.ca