Horse Power – Twitterature Contest

Combine Twitter with literature and you get … Twitterature!

Use your Twitter account to write and post a short story inspired by one of the four displays of vehicles and objects shown below. You can also post your story by using the interactive stations in the Horse Power – The Paul Bienvenu Carriage Collection exhibition.

How to participate via Twitter:

1. Using your Twitter account, write a short story of 140 characters or less (punctuation and spaces included) inspired by one of the four displays of vehicles and objects listed below. Include the hashtag associated with the display you choose to write about. Your story will be added to @HistVoitureCar and posted on the interactive stations in the exhibition.
2. Increase your chances of winning the contest by inviting your family and friends to vote for your story via Twitter @HistVoitureCar or in the exhibition.
3. Vote for your favourite stories via Twitter @HistVoitureCar (by liking them with a heart) or in the exhibition (by clicking on the star).

Get inspired by reading the descriptions of the vehicles and objects in the four displays found below.

• #cmhvehicle1: omnibus
• #cmhvehicle2: phaeton
• #cmhvehicle3: sleigh
• #cmhvehicle4: coach

The Canadian Museum of History reserves the right to refuse or remove racist, hateful, defamatory, insulting or promotional messages.

 

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Stories written by visitors

Read all published stories on the exhibition’s Twitter account @HistVoitureCar.

 

Tweets by @HistVoitureCar

 

Write and Win!
Official Contest Rules

 

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The Four Displays

#cmhvehicle1: omnibus

About this display

Capucine Omnibus
Built by Larivière
Montréal, Quebec
Early 1900s
Wood, metal, glass, leather and textile
Musées de la civilisation, 2010-1450
Gift of Paul Bienvenu

Somber in style and suited to the Quebec climate, the Capucine Omnibus was intended for public and private transportation. It features a rounded hard-top roof and retractable hood or capucine that protects the driver. The wheels are banded with rubber instead of metal, no doubt to offer better traction on streets lightly covered with snow. This vehicle can seat up to seven; with passengers entering through the back door.

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#cmhvehicle2: phaeton

About this display

Three-Seat Phaeton
Built by The Ledoux Carriage Co. (Bruno Ledoux)
Montréal, Quebec
Late 1800s
Wood, metal, glass, leather and textile
Musées de la civilisation, 2010-1446
Gift of Paul Bienvenu

Phaetons were functional vehicles for affluent owners. Also dubbed “station wagons”, they were often used to carry travellers and their baggage to and from railway stations. This beautifully refined model stands out for its wooden body, which still has the original varnish, as well as the three seats (two of which face each other) and umbrella basket.

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#cmhvehicle3: sleigh

About this display

Brougham Sleigh
Built by The Ledoux Carriage Co. (Bruno Ledoux)
Montréal, Quebec
Late 1800s
Wood, metal, glass, leather, textile and Bakelite
Musées de la civilisation, 2010-1633
Gift of Paul Bienvenu

This sleigh is as elegant inside and as it is outside. Blue velvet upholstery covers the seats and all other surfaces for the comfort and safety of passengers. The vehicle is equipped with a beveled glass windshield. Two Bakelite receivers enabled the driver and passengers to communicate via telephone. This was a truly luxurious winter vehicle for well-heeled owners.

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#cmhvehicle4: coach

About this display

Park Drag Coach
Built by Rothschild et fils
Paris, France
Late 1800s
Wood, metal, glass, leather and textile
Musées de la civilisation, 2010-1443
Gift of Paul Bienvenu

The Park Drag Coach was used for country and racetrack outings. At race meets, the coaches would be arranged on the infield. Comfortably seated on the roof, owners and guests enjoyed an unbeatable view of the event. The Park Drag Coach is equipped with a picnic box containing all the essentials: silver cutlery, fine crystal and china. When placed on the carriage roof, the box serves as a table.

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Write and Win!

Horse Power – Twitterature Contest

A grand prize will be awarded to one of the top 10 favourite stories voted on by Museum visitors.

One grand prize will be randomly awarded to one of the 10 most popular short stories (most votes via Twitter and in the exhibition). The draw will take place at the Canadian Museum of History at the closing of the exhibition.

The grand prize (for two people) includes a two-night stay at Ottawa’s landmark luxury hotel the Fairmont Château Laurier (double occupancy, subject to availability), a one-hour tour of downtown Ottawa in a horse-drawn carriage and passes to the Canadian Museum of History and the Canadian War Museum. (Approximate retail value: $850)

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Official Contest Rules

1. Contest name: Horse Power – Twitterature Contest
2. The contest is open to any person who writes and posts (on Twitter and in the exhibition) a short story inspired by one of the four carriage displays in the exhibition Horse Power – The Paul Bienvenu Carriage Collection presented at the Canadian Museum of History, from March 24, 2016 to January 7, 2018.
3. There is no limit on the number of entries per person.
4. To be eligible to claim a prize, claimant must have reached the legal age of majority in his/her province/territory/country of residence.
5. The Contest starts on March 24, 2016 and remains open for participation until January 7, 2018 at 5:00 p.m.
6. A grand prize will be randomly awarded to one of the 10 most popular short stories (most votes received via Twitter and in the exhibition). The draw will take place at the Canadian Museum of History at the closing of the exhibition.
7. The grand prize (for two people) includes a two-night stay at Ottawa’s landmark luxury hotel the Fairmont Château Laurier (double occupancy, subject to availability), a one-hour tour of downtown Ottawa in a horse-drawn carriage and passes to the Canadian Museum of History and the Canadian War Museum. (Approximate retail value: $850)
8. The prize must be accepted as awarded and is only as detailed above, without substitution. It is transferable but cannot be converted to cash.
9. The prize must be used by its winner no later than December 31, 2018.
10. The person responsible for the contest at the Canadian Museum of History will contact the winning entrant by email or Twitter, depending on the means by which the entry was received. The name of the selected entrant will be posted on the Canadian Museum of History website (historymuseum.ca). If the winner does not respond within 15 days after the contest closes, the Canadian Museum of History shall award the prize to an alternate entrant by randomly picking a short story from the remaining nine (9) most popular stories (most votes received via Twitter and in the exhibition).
11. The prize must be claimed no later than 11:59:59 p.m. ET on the 15th day following notification. If the prize is not claimed within that time, the prize will be forfeited.
12. Any entity for whose benefit the contest is being held, its employees, representatives or agents, and those with whom they reside, are not eligible to participate.
13. In the event that it is impossible to provide the prize set out in these Rules, the Canadian Museum of History and its related parties reserve the right to substitute all or part of the prize with a prize having an approximately equivalent value, at its sole and absolute discretion.
14. The Canadian Museum of History and its related parties will not be held responsible in all cases where their inability to act results from a cause beyond their control, including a strike, lock-out or other labour dispute or any natural event, including earthquakes, floods, dire, plague, Acts of God and other natural disasters involving the Canadian Museum of History, its related parties, or organisations or businesses whose services are used in the Contest.
15. By participating in this Contest, each entrant (and, if a Minor, his/her parent or legal guardian) agrees (and agrees to confirm in writing) and hereby: (i) releases the Canadian Museum of History and its related parties from any and all liability, loss or damage that he/she may incur in connection with his/her participation in this Contest and, if applicable, with respect to the awarding, receipt, possession and/or use or misuse of the Prize; (ii) agrees that, without limiting the generality of the foregoing and for greater certainty, under no circumstances will he/she be permitted to obtain awards for, and hereby waives all rights to claim, punitive, incidental, consequential, or any other damages; (iii) agrees (to the maximum extent permitted by law) that all causes of action arising out of or connected with this Contest, or any prize awarded, shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action; and (iv) agrees (to the maximum extent permitted by law) that any and all claims, judgments, and award shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred, excluding attorneys’ fees and court costs.

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