The Canadian Museum of History imagines what might go into a museum of the future

MEDIA RELEASE

What should we preserve now for a museum of the future? This is the main question that the Canadian Museum of History tries to answer in its brand-new podcast series, available as of June 13.

Hosted by award-winning writer and TV personality Kim Thúy, Artifactuality: Stories From the Museum of the Future features the remarkable stories of Canadian personalities — a pop star, athletes, Indigenous Elders, one of the world’s most famous industrial designers, and other trailblazers like a refugee who became an expert on issues facing refugees and migrants — which have been generously shared with the Museum.

Born out of collaborations between the Museum, individuals and communities to preserve the history of today, Artifactuality connects listeners across Canada to personal stories that will enable future generations to understand our shared past.

Listening to Artifactuality, audiences will also hear about fascinating objects in the Museum’s collection that help illustrate the first-person narratives. These include Mitsou’s iconic Bye bye mon cowboy costume, a rare portrait of a player from the Colored Hockey League of the Maritimes, a dazzling obsidian blade that could be as much as 13,000 years old, remarkable stories of Southeast Asian refugees, and a garbage can so thoughtfully designed it almost invites your trash inside.

“In addition to providing a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the deeper stories and research that give life to our collections and exhibitions, Artifactuality also connects to the conversations that many Canadians are having right now about gender, race, decolonization, immigration and innovation,” said Bianca Gendreau, Acting Senior Director, Research and Chief Curator at the Canadian Museum of History. “We are proud to harness the power of digital storytelling through Artifactuality, the Museum’s new podcast series.”

The public is invited to the official launch of the first five episodes in presence of Kim Thúy and Mitsou, on Tuesday, June 13 at 7 p.m. in the Museum’s Canadian History Hall. Reservations can be made at historymuseum.ca, but be sure to reserve quickly as space is limited. The launch can also be viewed live on the Museum’s website, Facebook page or YouTube channel.

Artifactuality: Stories From the Museum of the Future, a podcast of the Canadian Museum of History, is produced by Makwa Creative and Antica Productions. The first season of Artifactuality can be subscribed to and listen to for free on major podcast platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Podcasts.

Visit historymuseum.ca to discover more fascinating stories and remarkable exhibitions from the Museum.

Located on the shores of the Ottawa River in Gatineau, Quebec, the Canadian Museum of History welcomes more than 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 Museum of History is made possible in part through financial support of the Government of Canada.

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