Main Menu

Annual Report 2018–2019

 

Year at a Glance

This was a highly successful year for both the Canadian Museum of History and the Canadian War Museum. The Museum of History began planning for a renewal of the popular Canadian Children’s Museum and presented outstanding exhibitions on Medieval Europe and Canadian photographer William Notman. The War Museum closed out its commemoration of the First World War Centenary with an exhibition on the conflict’s final 100 days and explored the physical and psychological scars of war in a compelling photographic exhibition. In addition, both Museums continued to offer thought-provoking activities and educational programming, while also engaging with patrons, foundations and cultural organizations across Canada and around the world.

Highlights

Canadian Children’s Museum

  • Reimagining a new space
  • Inviting families to share their ideas
  • Opening in 2021

Canadian War Museum

  • The Last 100 Days: Exploring the final days of the First World War
  • The First World War Centenary at the Canadian War Museum: Four years of outstanding exhibitions, special programming, lectures and an international conference, and attendance in the hundreds of thousands
  • Armour: Exploring armour from medieval times to Iron Man and hockey gear
  • Ready to Serve – Canadian Panoramic Photographs of the First World War: 450 panoramic photographs from the Museum’s George Metcalf Archival Collection
  • Resilience – The Battlefield Art of Mary Riter Hamilton, 1919–1922: The art of a little-known Canadian artist and the 100th anniversary of the War Amps of Canada
  • The Wounded: Exploring the physical and psychological scars of 18 Canadian veterans of the war in Afghanistan, by photojournalist Stephen J. Thorne

Canadian Museum of History

  • Medieval Europe – Power and Splendour: Iconic objects and works of art from the British Museum
  • Death in the Ice – The Mystery of the Franklin Expedition: On tour in the U.S., following acclaimed presentations in England and at the Museum
  • Notman, Visionary Photographer: A fascinating look at one of Canada’s earliest art entrepreneurs
  • The Indigenous Internship Program: Celebrating its 25th anniversary and more than 110 graduates to date
  • The Canadian History Hall celebrated its first anniversary, welcoming more than 650,000 visitors to date
  • Treasures from Library and Archives Canada – A Little History: A special gallery devoted to engaging displays of photographs and archival material

Partnerships

  • Throughout the year, both Museums partnered with organizations to present the finest in exhibitions and programming.
  • Key partnerships: British Museum, the McCord Museum, Contemporaneo Progetti, Library and Archives Canada, the Royal Canadian Legion, and the Beaverbrook Canadian Foundation for an upcoming exhibition on the war art of Sir Alfred Munnings.

Acquisitions

  • The David Vivian Currie Victoria Cross medal set
  • The Robert Hill Hanna Victoria Cross medal set
  • The Margaret Hess Collection of Inuit art from the Canadian North
  • The 2009 Ultimate Fighting Champion title belt awarded to Canadian mixed martial arts legend, Georges St-Pierre

International presence

  • Great Women During the War, 1939–1945 exhibition was inaugurated at the Juno Beach Centre in Normandy, France, in March 2019.
  • An Exhibition of Sir Alfred Munnings paintings from the Canadian War Museum Collection was presented at the National Army Museum in London and at The Munnings Art Museum in Dedham-Essex, in Great Britain.
  • Death in the Ice – The Mystery of the Franklin Expedition was presented in the United States of America.

Fundraising

  • $3,390,917 raised this year, or 136% of the target
  • Fundraising target surpassed by $890,917
Georges St-Pierre

The announcement of the acquisition of Georges St-Pierre’s 2009 UFC 94 title belt reached millions of people in Canada

Victoria Crosses awarded to David Currie and Robert Hill Hanna

The Canadian War Museum announced its acquisition of the Victoria Cross awarded to Lieutenant Robert Hill Hanna in November 2018

National Indigenous Peoples Day at the Canadian Museum of History

Canadian Children’s Museum.

A free day of fun family activities was held on October 21, 2018.
Photo by Marie-Andrée Blais

Exhibition at the Canadian War Museum.

Victory 1918 – The Last 100 Days

Exhibition at the Canadian Museum of History.

Medieval Europe – Power and Splendour