IS THIS THE FUTURE YOU WANT

Breaking the Glass Case | Alexandra Forand

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A valid statement. Source. 

As my time at Musings winds down, I’m faced with the same feeling every person goes through when their contract is up, graduation is looming, or it is simply time to move on. I am supposed to enjoy this stomach-lurching, fear inducing, excitement producing haze I am in, right? I am also supposed to be tying up loose ends, by finishing projects, saying thank you to the people who have helped me, and, yes of course, writing one last article for Musings that is poignant, encompassing, and has an air of editorial sign-off.

This is not that article, because I have never intended to, nor want to write that article for this column.

I created this column in Winter of 2018, when the largest institutions in Canada such as the Royal Ontario Museum, the Art Gallery of Ontario, and the National Gallery of Canada began implementing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action, land acknowledgments were standard practise, and Indigenous voices were being sought out. I considered this an optimistic period pertaining to Indigenous presence in Cultural Heritage Organizations. My head was filled with the teachings of Ruth Phillips and Amy Lonetree and I was high on the promise of better things to come.

In the past two years while writing this column, I’ve seen incredible strides in the state of Canada's relationships with Indigenous peoples, such as acts of repatriation from collections, language remediation programs in galleries, and the state of Canada (finally!) signing on to United Nations Declaration of the Rights if Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). I have seen incredible grassroots projects operating outside the museum that start the conversation of reconciliation, understanding, and knowledge sharing.

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The amount of hate I have witnessed these past few weeks is honesty draining, but the amount of Love I have felt in these circles overpowers that hate any day. Love. Love for my people, my community, my ancestors. That is why we do this for the future generations, we do this for Aki, for Nibi, Mother Earth. #wetsuwetenstrong #westandwithwetsuweten #alleyesonwetsuweten

A post shared by Alannah Mckay (@alannahmercedes) on Feb 26, 2020 at 4:55pm PST

And now I’m leaving at potentially one of the most complicated times in the state of Canadian’s history with Indigenous peoples. One of the most pressing issues, as I write this article, is the events surrounding Wet’suwet’en. I don’t presume to know your relationship with these events-- you might have been affected by the blockades, angered by the inconveniences, apathetic towards the situation, participated in solidarity, either by going to a protest, giving money, or making support known through social media, or you might fluctuate between all these scenarios. I’m not going to pretend I am expert on what is happening and instead I am going to turn to the people who are far more educated and articulate on the matter than I.

Another flashpoint of this topic I would be remised to mention is the murder of Colten Boushie, a young Cree Man from Saskatchewan, and the acquittal of his murderer by the court of law. Tasha Hubbard weaves the events of the narrative with the stark history of colonialism on the Prairies in her documentary nîpawistamâsowin: We Will Stand Up.

A still from Tasha Hubbard's documentary nîpawistamâsowin: We Will Stand Up. Source. 

These are only two examples of incredible negligence, racism, and continued violence from the media, the colonial government, and the bystanders that are complicit in these events by proudly branding themselves “Canadians.”

An institution that has been quiet on these issues is museums. It wasn’t until the morning of February 26, 2020 when the silence was broken with the words “Is this the future you want,” scrawled on the Canadian Museum of Human Rights (CMHR) in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

This is not a question, but a statement, a review, and above all, a challenge. The brave, unknown person who manifested this thought into existence through red spray paint, was pleading with the only institution that they thought would listen. The only institution who is tasked with witnessing, preserving, and publicising events, like the ones that are happening in Canada and what will be considered history. The unknown person, like me and many people across Canada, is asking: When you are the museum that is tasked with the enhancement of the public's understanding of human rights, promoting respect for others and encouraging reflection and dialogue, how dare you stay silent.

In response, on  the CMHR Facebook page these questions were posed:

 What path do you see to a better future where everyone’s rights can be respected? How can we create that future together?”

In answering the unknown person and everyone they represent, I say no, the present we have now is not the reflective of the future I want. In conclusion,   dear reader, I’m going to rephrase the question the CMHR asked: “What path (or steps) have you taken to ensure an equitable future? What more can you do? As always, you can leave a comment,  or if Twitter and Instagram are more your speed my handle on both is @Ally_but_online.

MY WEEK IN OTTAWA: A LETTER FROM NATALIE HEATON, VICE PRESIDENT

Weekend Edition | Natalie Heaton

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Dear Musers:

Monday, November 4, 2019, thirty-three students from the Faculty of Information departed on a journey to the nation’s capital--Ottawa. After a 6 hour bus ride, we arrived and were ready to see what they city had to offer. Our group will visit 5 museums in 4 days and meet over twenty-five different museum professionals.

Tuesday morning, the adventure began at the National Gallery of Canada (NGC). After taking a group photo under the infamous “Mama” sculpture, we enter the gallery and were welcomed by Gary Goodacre, the chief of Education and Public Programs. Gary spoke about keeping the visitors experience at the centre of everything that Gallery does and making the overall experience of the museum less transactional. The way the NGC aims to do this is by implementing art and an Indigenous library before guests purchase their ticket. Dr. Sasha Suda the Director and CEO of the NGC, spoke to the group next, her ‘why not’ attitude was very inspiring as she talked about her career in museums. Her most notable piece of advice being to tell great stories that are relevant to what is going on and be inclusive. The rest of our time at the NGC was spent going on tours with either David Gillanders (educator) or Jaime Morse (educator, Indigenous outreach & programming). I went on Jamie’s tour and she discussed white privilege engrained within the museum system. She stressed the need to remember the colonial history of Canada and treatment of Indigenous people within these institutions.

National Gallery of Canada. Photo Courtesy of Natalie Heaton. 

Tuesday afternoon was spent at the Canadian War Museum. We met Britt Braaten (creative development specialist), who talked about what inclusion looks like at the War Museum along with some of the drawbacks of working with the museum’s collection. Britt discussed the need to diversify the voice that is heard in exhibitions. Sandra O’Quinn (Learning Specialist) showed us Supply Line Discovery Boxes, boxes that are designed to be circulated to schools in remote locations. Essentially bringing the museum to the students, oppose to bringing the students to the museum. 

Canadian War Museum. Photo courtesy of Natalie Heaton.

The Canadian Science and Technology Museum (CSTM) was our first stop on Wednesday morning. At this stop we met ten museum professionals. In particular, we discussed the relationship between sponsorships and the museum. Raising questions of how an institution works with a donor such as oil companies, when the exhibition is intended to tell both the positives and negatives “facts” of oil production. The main take away from this discussion was it matters to show and talk about both side of the story in a museum context.

Canadian Science and Technology Museum. Photo Courtesy of Natalie Heaton. 

Canadian Science and Technology Museum. Photo Courtesy of Natalie Heaton. 

We had the opportunity at both the CSTM and the Canadian Museum of History (CMH) to visit collection storage. The CSTM have just finished building their new storage space which houses a range of artifacts from steam trains, buses and cars, to smaller objects such as cameras. At the CMH we walked through their collection storage and conservation section and saw variety of objects such as kayaks, canoes, and furniture. Going through both of these collections spaces was a highlight for me because we had the opportunity to see the treasures that the public does not often get to see. 

Canadian Museum of History. Photo courtesy of Natalie Heaton.

 

The last museum that we stopped at was the Diefenbunker: Canada’s Cold War Museum, where we received a very informative tour of the bunker’s history. The 100,000sq foot, four level, underground bunker, was very impressive. While the Deifinbunker is not a national museum, their innovative programming and partnerships have helped to establish themselves as a destination. 

Diefenbunker Museum. Photo Courtesy of Natalie Heaton.

Overall, my week in Ottawa was lovely. I got to visit some amazing museums, meet amazing people, and strengthen my friendships with my classmates.

Thanks for reading,

Natalie Heaton

Ottawa Sign in ByWord Market. Photo Courtesy of Jaime Meier. 

P.S. We didn't lose anyone! 

MELTING DOWN THE MYSTERY: THE FRANKLIN EXPEDITION IN 2018

MUSEUM MYSTERIES

BY: SERENA YPELAAR

For my final Museum Mysteries post, I couldn't resist taking an age-old Victorian mystery out of the freezer for a thaw: the famous Franklin Expedition to the Arctic.

The last time Musings tackled this frigid phantom of a story was with Sadie MacDonald's review of the pop-up exhibit at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM). Now, the Canadian Museum of History (CMH) has opened their exhibition, Death in the Ice: The Mystery of the Franklin Expedition, after its run at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, UK.

Death in the Ice is a joint effort between the Canadian Museum of History, Inuit Heritage Trust and the UK National Maritime Museum, as well as Parks Canada and the Government of Nunavut.

Promotional image for Death in the Ice: The Mystery of the Franklin Expedition. Photo: Canadian Museum of History.

Having worked at the Museum of Inuit Art and Inuit Art Foundation respectively, northern Canadian history is one of my key focuses. When I interned at the Northern Life Museum and Cultural Centre in Fort Smith, Northwest Territories, I delivered educational programming to high school students alongside the Canada Science and Technology Museum's travelling exhibition Echoes in the Ice: Finding Franklin's Ship. I doubt I'll ever stop being interested in the lost expedition and its mysterious legacy.

Note found in a cairn in 1859 on King
William Island, written by Franklin's
crew and even updated to report
Franklin's death and the desertion of
the ships. Source.

Sir John Franklin was selected in 1845 (though far from the top choice) at age 59 to lead a British Royal Navy expedition in search of the fabled Northwest Passage. In what is now the Canadian Arctic, Franklin and his crew met Inuit who later provided oral testimony of their encounters with the British men. 

With 129 men on board, the ships HMS Erebus and HMS Terror got locked in the ice and were rendered immobile. Franklin was dead by 1847, and the surviving men were forced to desert the ships and travel south on foot. In the harsh Arctic conditions, none would survive. Rumours swirled that some men, in sheer desperation, had resorted to cannibalism, a sensational element of this story that both repulses and fascinates. (Charles Dickens published articles weighing in on the cannibalism debate, despite Victorians' indignation at the thought.) 

On the MMSt Ottawa trip last year, CMH staff spoke to us about their efforts to represent previously overlooked Inuit perspectives in Death in the Ice. The exhibition is said to focus heavily on Inuit voices and experiences - though that's not to say that it hasn't had its fair share of controversy regarding objects taken from the shipwrecks of the Erebus and Terror after their respective discoveries by Parks Canada in 2014 and 2016.

The reason for this is simple: Inuit were the last to see the ships and their crews. And those encounters, preserved in oral histories and shared with Parks Canada and its partners, contributed directly to the discovery of HMS Erebus and Terror. - Canadian Museum of History, "Inuit Knowledge and the Franklin Expedition Exhibition"

Peter Taptuna (Nunavut's Premier at the time) claimed in a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in fall 2016 that Parks Canada wrongfully removed artifacts belonging to Nunavut and Inuit Heritage Trust since the wrecks are in their territory. Parks Canada alleges that the wrecks are still British property, citing a 1997 agreement in which the British consented to transfer the contents of the wrecks to Canada once found. 

Memorial to Sir John Franklin and the lost expedition outside the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, UK. Source.

I haven't managed to pop back to Ottawa to visit the Death in the Ice exhibition (as well as my alma mater) yet, but I suppose that just adds to this column's air of mystery. I've instead outlined a few questions I would like to see answered or at least discussed in the exhibition: 

• How can we give oral traditions more weight as a way of knowing in exhibitions like these, where Indigenous narratives are integral? 
• What does our obsession with the men's purported cannibalism tell us about sensationalism as it relates to museum audiences? 
• Some of the men's bodies were preserved in the ice and found intact over a century later - but will we ever find Sir John Franklin's body? Would it teach us anything new?
• When will the ownership dispute be resolved between Inuit and Parks Canada? Is there a way to interpret history in museums without displaying artifacts with questionable provenance?

Most of my questions are more museological than factual. I accept that some mysteries will forever remain unsolved, but that doesn't mean we can't explore and learn from them in the absence of concrete answers. Instead, these unknowns can be an excellent prompt toward critical thinking and dialogue.

Plus, we have great historical interpretation on television to satiate our curiosity. I can't wait to see how the Franklin Expedition is adapted in AMC's newest drama, The Terror, which premieres this Monday. Time will tell whether Inuit are satisfactorily represented in the series, but I'm eager to start taking it in. (And before you ask, I haven't been paid off by AMC - it's not my fault they make so many historical dramas!)

The Terror actors Ciarán Hinds (as Sir John Franklin), Jared Harris, and Tobias Menzies discuss their characters - both historically and as interpreted in the series.

So how can we keep dwelling on the same mysteries time and again without stifling them? By offering different vantage points. It's an issue I've been focusing a lot on in my Musings articles this year: tell the story that hasn't been told, and people will listen. Promise visitors more, and they will want to keep learning. Answer questions, but focus just as much on what we don't know. 

With that, my readers, I'll close the door on Museum Mysteries for now. I hope you've enjoyed embracing the unknown and that you'll continue to do so!

DEMYSTIFYING THE CANADIAN HISTORY HALL: PART TWO

MUSEUM MYSTERIES

BY: SERENA YPELAAR 

Welcome back to the "Demystifying the Canadian History Hall" series, in which I attempt to unpack the extensive new content in the Canadian Museum of History. For Part Two, I'm looking at how language brings important Indigenous histories - which museums have routinely minimized or glossed over - to the forefront. 

The first gallery in the new Canadian History Hall speaks for itself: an Anishinabe creation story, passed on orally, is another example of how language (and its presentation) speaks volumes in an exhibition.
Photo courtesy of Serena Ypelaar 

As an avid writer myself, I love how the written word can convey so much, especially in the nuances of word choice. 

If you visited the old Canada Hall when it was open, you may remember that the immersive walk-through of Canada's history began with European contact in approximately 1000 CE. We understand now that this is an inaccurate representation of Canadian history, as Indigenous peoples lived on the land thousands of years before. The new Canadian History Hall has tried to illustrate this knowledge in the form of comprehensive new galleries.

So how has the new Hall confronted a history that was previously underrepresented? In my last post I touched briefly upon Indigenous inclusion in the exhibition content itself. I also noticed that many of the new interpretive panels discuss Indigenous history in a way that debunks some common misconceptions about Indigenous peoples. 

Let's look at some interpretive panels now, and consider what their language teaches us about Indigenous Canadian history.

"Indigenous Nations" section panel in the Early Canada gallery.
Photo courtesy of Serena Ypelaar. (click to enlarge)

Indigenous traditions are not a thing of the past, and Indigenous nations are distinct from one another

In this section panel (right), the museum asserts that by 500 years ago, Indigenous nations had "productive economies and complex social structures". The panel also clarifies that some groups moved seasonally, while others lived in permanent communities. This information is important since Indigenous nations are not homogeneous - each is distinct and carries its own history. 

The panel also declares that Indigenous societies were "thriving" and that "many of the traditions established centuries ago continue today", explaining that while Indigenous traditions go back centuries, they have endured throughout Canadian history (despite colonizers' efforts to destroy them). 

I want to acknowledge that speaking about Indigenous peoples rather than having individuals who identify as Indigenous share their own perspectives can be troublesome. There are issues inherent with speaking of cultural groups in this detached way, running the risk of marginalization. However, I don't wish to overlook the fact that the Canadian Museum of History underwent extensive consultations while creating this exhibition, including the appointment of an Aboriginal Advisory Council. In fact, one could argue that the museum has done the right thing here, as they aren't attempting to speak on behalf of Indigenous peoples - they are speaking from their vantage point as a museum. 

The names we often use to refer to Indigenous peoples were in fact imposed by colonial powers 

Terminology guide in the Canadian History Hall.
Photo courtesy of Serena Ypelaar. (click to enlarge)

In elementary school I heard the terms Huron, Iroquois, and Ojibwa, but less often the Wendat, Haudenosaunee, and Anishinabe respectively - even though this is what the aforementioned Indigenous nations called themselves. European colonists' names for Indigenous nations seem to have prevailed over time; but museums, and many similar organizations, are finally beginning to re-adopt the Indigenous names, as outlined in this panel (left). 

I appreciated the clear definitions of these terms; in stating that their panels "use Indigenous names, but will sometimes also provide the familiar European name as a reference", the museum employs a transparent and ethical voice in the exhibition (of which I'm sure the late Cheryl Meszaros would have approved). Here, the museum shares its deeper awareness of Indigenous rights and how our own perceptions and assumptions have been shaped by colonialism.

Indigenous peoples were not passive victims, but actively fought for their rights in the face of injustice

Panel in the Colonial Canada gallery. Photo courtesy of
Serena Ypelaar. (click to enlarge)

The effects of colonialism are much clearer in the new Canadian History Hall than they were in the old Canada Hall. As seen in another panel (right), the museum acknowledges that "the rapid settlement of English-speaking immigrants came at great cost to First Nations". The relationship between colonizers and Indigenous peoples who were being forced off their land is evident here, with clearer language. 

However, I wouldn't necessarily call this panel "blunt". Not to delve too deeply into grammar here, but the panel uses "treaties" as the subject without specifying who enacted such treaties (European settlers). This makes the sentence a bit more vague in terms of culpability.

Regardless, the panel ends strongly, with the acknowledgement that "First Peoples experienced these new policies and attitudes differently ... communities persisted in spite of restrictions." You may have started to recognize a common theme in the panel content: Indigenous peoples fought to retain their lands and customs, as affirmed by the active language that characterizes them. 

Indigenous peoples have been oppressed by the Government of Canada and remain bound by restrictive legal systems 

The themes of hardship and resilience illustrated in the Canadian History Hall continue to manifest in the experiences of many Indigenous peoples today. Though we as Canadians are now learning more about our shameful history and the lasting legacies of colonization, harmful legislation such as the Indian Act (1876) still allows the government to control aspects of Indigenous life, from "Indian status" to land ownership to education. 

This panel directly addresses the devastation of residential schools.
Photo courtesy of Serena Ypelaar. (click to enlarge)

Openly confronting our colonial history (as in the above panel) is a first step toward reconciliation, and hopefully this understanding is something that visitors will take with them beyond their visit. I'll leave you with this last panel from one of the final galleries in the Canadian History Hall, a testament to the lasting legacies of our history. 

This panel from the Modern Canada gallery both clarifies terminology and
subtly demonstrates the ongoing ramifications of the Indian Act.  

DEMYSTIFYING THE CANADIAN HISTORY HALL: PART ONE

MUSEUM MYSTERIES

BY: SERENA YPELAAR

It's been four months since fellow Musings blogger Emily Welsh and I first visited the new Canadian History Hall at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, and I still feel overwhelmed by the size, scope, and content of the comprehensive exhibition.

Pathway leading to the Canadian History Hall. The streamlined walkways take you through Canada's history in a chronological fashion. Photo courtesy of Serena Ypelaar

The museum fatigue was real. I sometimes think wryly about how the Hall opened after I finished my undergraduate degree at the University of Ottawa; if I'd stuck around longer, I would've been able to return and focus on each section in separate visits. Instead, I squeezed it all into one short trip to the capital. As I wandered the Hall, I felt the need to take some time for reflection both during and after the experience.

Since the Canadian History Hall is so large and presents many opportunities for museological discourse, I've decided to make this written exploration into a series. For its first installment, here are a few pleasantly surprising stories about lesser-known, non-white historical figures I discovered in the Hall.

Depiction of Marie Marguerite Rose in the Canadian
History Hall. Photo courtesy of Serena Ypelaar.

Marie Marguerite Rose – Slavery in New France 

As an African-born woman sold into slavery in Canada, Marie Marguerite Rose was baptized and given her French name after being purchased at age 19 by French naval officer Jean Chrysostome Loppinot. She was manumitted in 1755 and married a free Mi'kmaw man, Jean-Baptiste Laurent, that same year. They went on to operate a tavern in Louisbourg, on what is now Cape Breton Island. In 1757, she died after being free for less than two years, and was buried at the Fortress of Louisbourg. Her legacy as a slave in Canada undercuts the misconception that Canada was historically free of slavery. Though our American neighbours took longer to abolish slavery (1865), Canada itself did not completely eradicate it until 1834. Rose's experience highlights those similarities. Her biographical presence in the Canadian History Hall calls for a conscious accountability and acceptance that our nation's history contains these damaging societal systems.

Photo courtesy of Serena Ypelaar.

This panel (left) clearly describes that the objects on display, which were found in the slave owners' well, were likely objects Rose used when performing domestic tasks during her enslavement. Their provenance is confirmed, while their connection to Rose is not – but the narrative centres more on her experience of life in New France. Though the panel refers to both Rose and slave owner Loppinot by name, the same is not true for Rose's Mi'kmaw husband. I'm unsure as to why this is, but I'd be interested in learning about the curatorial or interpretive decisions that influenced this omission. Regardless of its significance to the story, and irrespective of his centrality to the panel narrative, Laurent's name would have more clearly put him on equal footing as the other individuals in the story. Despite the lack of specificity regarding Indigenous Peoples in a panel like this one, the museum does well to illustrate other Indigenous-led episodes of history in other parts of the exhibition.

"The Four [Indigenous] Kings of Canada" – A British-Canadian Alliance

This story emphasizes the value of addressing contested narratives in museum content. In 1710, four Indigenous delegates – three Haudenosaunee ("Iroquois" to the British) and one Mohican – travelled to London, England, to meet Queen Anne. To cement a British alliance, the "Four Kings" hoped to obtain assistance in driving the French from their lands. The sensational appeal of the four Indigenous leaders exploded in London, and the Queen had these four portraits (below) commissioned by court painter John Verelst. Thought to be some of the oldest portraits of Indigenous Peoples taken from life, the circumstances of their creation are certainly unusual. An instance of Canadian history overseas (yet at such an early point in our post-contact history), these portraits were among the most memorable objects I encountered in the exhibition.

Portraits of "The Four Kings of Canada" in the Canadian History Hall. From left: Onigoheriago (Mohican), Sagayenkwaraton (Haudenosaunee), Etowaucun (Haudenosaunee), Tejonihokarawa (Haudenosaunee). Photos courtesy of Serena Ypelaar.

Photo courtesy of Serena Ypelaar.

The Royal Family presented the paintings to Library and Archives Canada in 1977. Mirroring history, contemporary Chiefs of the Mohawk people of the Bay of Quinte and those of the Six Nations Reserve, Ohsweken, greeted Queen Elizabeth II, this time on this side of the Atlantic.

Again, the object label (right) doesn't delve into this modern context, but it does acknowledge the divided viewpoints of many Haudenosaunee as to the legitimacy of the delegations. Likely owing to space limitations, this panel's storyline is object-focused, acting as an extended label within a much larger exhibition. In the Hall, microhistorical stories such as this one tend to be simplified as a result, but they can still act as useful prompts for visitors to pursue information afterward.

It would be ideal to have more information on the object's provenance and even a discussion on ownership if the scope of the Hall allowed it. Since the portraits were commissioned by the English monarch at the time, but depict Indigenous Canadian leaders, to whom do they belong? How accurate are these depictions? Information about the current Queen's gift to Canada is important because it contextualizes that discussion.

The Indigenous Perspective – Throughout History

In contrast to the previous iteration of the History Hall (which was on display until 2014, and known simply as "Canada Hall"), the new Canadian History Hall places much more focus on minorities, and the Indigenous content is explicit in its prevalence. I remember feeling a sense of relief as I saw Indigenous content integrated throughout the chronological galleries, and a similar satisfaction upon noticing written panels that, rather than attempting a studious neutrality, approached instances of cultural genocide with a frankness of tone that has recently gained more traction. On the national scale, it's crucial to acknowledge such injustices in our history, and emphasizing Indigenous perspectives on their own ancestral land is long overdue. 

Still think Canada's history is boring and/or predicable? Go see the exhibition if you can! Though the Canadian History Hall is overwhelming, its curatorial voice demonstrates a greater understanding of the diversity of our nation, taking steps toward understanding the colonial nuances and legacies that continue to shape Canada's development as a country. I believe the Hall excels in its ability to reveal stories of lesser-known individuals who played a part in Canada's history, offering us powerful insights and opening up further mysteries for us to solve. 

Stay tuned for Part Two of the "Demystifying the Canadian History Hall" series, in which I will explore the power of language and communication in shedding light on difficult histories. 

THE POWER OF SUGGESTION AND OTHER PEOPLE'S VISION

COLLECTIONS CORNER

BY: KATIE PAOLOZZA

Like several of my fellow Musers, I traveled to Ottawa last week for the Museum Studies getaway. Every time I visit the capital I'm reminded of how different a city it is from Toronto. The size, the people, the overall vibe, it is all reflected in the material culture present in Ottawa museums.

Many of us broke away from the group and explored museums on our own like the Bytown Museum and the Canada Aviation and Space Museum, but we also had two days of presentations and tours from alumni and professionals at the Canadian Museum of History and the National Gallery of Canada.

Both sets of talks brought up great points about how the public perceives collections and interactivity. Our group was lucky enough at the CMH to get a behind-the-scenes tour of the new Canadian History Hall that is reopening this year in honour of Canada 150. For those of you who don't remember the old one, it was an immersive recreation of many buildings and monuments that represented different points in Canadian history. People loved, loved that gallery because it was like stepping back in time:

   

The new gallery doesn't seem to be quite as immersive by design, but I was very excited when I heard that the history represented would be more expansive and more inclusive of Indigenous and minority cultures that played an irreplaceable role in Canada's evolution. Here is a look at the new gallery under construction as reported by the CBC:

What fascinated me most about the differences between the old and new Canadian History Halls was the public's perception of what was on display. We were told that the public had on more than one occasion lauded the interactive displays in the original gallery, and if the CMH were to carry one element over to the new one, it should be that feature. We were then told that there was not a single thing in the first gallery that was interactive, but many people perceived it to be that way. I still can't quite wrap my head around that. Is it something about the immersive nature of historical recreations? Is this sense of participation rooted in the imaginations of guests that were inspired by their surroundings? And most relevant to this column, is it possible to interact with objects in a collection if we cannot touch them?

I felt like the answer to that last question was given to me the next day at the National Gallery. We were given a tour of the special exhibition celebrating the work of famed Indigenous artist Alex Janvier. Here is an example of just one of his works:

It's hard to see the breathtaking level of detail present in each painting, but what is still visible is the aesthetic of the swirling colours and the dream-like visage of the recurring motifs of dehumanization, death and life intertwined, and devastating loss. This was a collection that had many of us leaving the exhibition with tight chests and an uncomfortable sense of empathy and guilt. It was a solid, tangible collection that we could not touch or manipulate in any way, but we interacted with it all the same. One particularly beautiful yet brutal painting even had our tour guide warning us that that section of the gallery was a trigger space.

You can get the exhibition catalogue in English here, and in French here, but I strongly urge anyone in the area to visit the National Gallery and see how brilliantly they have displayed Janvier's personal narratives. What so often can happen with these types of collections is that they are used as tools of political bias, for both the right and the left. Janvier certainly doesn't eschew politics, but he consistently breaks them down and brings his audience back to the personal narratives of those who have been dehumanized by their oppressors and by their so-called saviours.

The trip was enlightening in many ways, from the time spent bonding with our like-minded peers to the solid advice given by alumni who were once in our shoes. I think what will stay with me most are the surges of emotion that swelled up in me when I least expected it. Collections can transport us, move us, challenge us. They don't have to be accessible or open in every way to do so. I was quite happy to enjoy other people's vision of Canada and Alex Janvier. It made me more cognizant of my own preferences and interpretive eye. That's a gift I will most likely carry with me into my future career, and I don't think I'm alone in saying that.

MUSINGS HITS THE ROAD: A TOUR OF CANADA'S CAPITAL, MMSt CLASS TRIP 2017

WEEKEND EDITION

BY: NATANIA SHERMAN

This past week was reading week, and rather than hibernating, Musings went on a road trip! For those of you unfamiliar with the Museum Studies (MMSt) program, every year the Museum Studies Student Association, MUSSA, hosts a class trip which is open to first and second year MMSt students. Every other year we visit Canada's capital city, Ottawa, to see what's happening in our national museums.

A foggy view of the parliament building (Photo: Natania Sherman)

This year's trip, organized by MUSSA's social chair and Musing's Museum Innovations writer Kelly Mackenzie, brought us to Ottawa in the middle of February where we had the opportunity to devote four days to experiencing the culture and unseasonably mild weather of Ottawa, Ontario.

Between us we managed to visit the Canadian Museum of History, the Canadian Museum of Nature, the Canadian War Museum, the National Gallery of Canada, the Bytown Museum and the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum.

Since Serena and Hayley already provided an overview of the museums and museum programs in Ottawa, this article will just provide a recap of some of the highlights of the trip.

February 23rd

Our first stop at the CMH in Gatineau (Photo: Natania Sherman)

For our first stop, the Canadian Museum of History (CMH), located in Gatineau, Quebec, hosted us for a variety of candid talks about some of their ongoing projects, including the upcoming Franklin Expedition exhibition, inspired by the recent discovery by Parks Canada of the H.M.S. Erebus and Terror in the arctic. We heard from the Virtual Museum of Canada about how they facilitate museum and community online projects and learned a bit about the CMH's approach to accessibility and repatriation of indigenous objects. The highlight, however, was being led on a tour of the Canadian History Hall which is currently under construction but will reopen on Canada Day. I can't wait to go back to see the finished exhibition!

Part of a behind the scenes tour of the Canadian History Hall (Photo: Natania Sherman)

After our day-long visit to the Canadian Museum of History, we had the option to visit the Canadian Museum of Nature or the Canadian War Museum. Choosing which museum to visit in our free time was much like choosing a favourite child, but I ended up visiting the Canadian Museum of Nature to take in the Reptiles exhibit and play with the interactives. All in all, a long day of successful museum-going.

February 24th

Part of the Alex Janvier exhibition at NGC (Photo: Natania Sherman)

Friday brought us to the National Gallery of Canada where we got to hear presentations from staff about their diverse career trajectories and get an inside look at past exhibit, Elisabeth Louise Vigée Lebrun. We got to learn from professionals in every aspect of the museum, from marketing and digital strategies to education and interpretation. We also received a guided tour of the Alex Janvier exhibition from the curatorial team, which provided a deeper perspective into his life and art as well as background to some of the curatorial decision-making that occurred when planning this exhibition.

Students mingling with alumni at Boston Pizza (Photo: Natania Sherman)

In the evening, all students were able to partake in an alumni networking event at Boston Pizza. It was a wonderful experience to get to meet and mingle with so many MMSt alumni working in the Ottawa region and many of us were able to make new connections and get some advice from those who have been there before us.

February 25th

Walking to the Bytown Museum (Photo: Natania Sherman)

On Saturday, the last day of our trip, we had the option to visit either the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum (CASM) or the Bytown Museum for tours of their current exhibitions. This was once again like choosing a favourite child. At the Bytown Museum, we had an amazing tour of the building and got to learn about museum management, especially for a small museum. Those who visited CASM took part in a tour of the collections facilities and current exhibitions. Then we loaded ourselves back on the bus and departed for Toronto


Key Themes from This Year's Trip 

The Sesquicentennial: Canada 150 is a major event that is bound to take over Ottawa, and a major source of funding for cultural organizations. Most of the museums we visited seemed to have some kind of ongoing renovation project related to the sesquicentennial, many of which won't be revealed until July of this year.

Reconciliation: At both the NGC and the CMH many staff members were putting a concerted effort into placing indigenous stories front and centre and trying to place them as part of a living culture within Canadian History. This meant re-evaluating some of the ways indigenous cultures had been displayed previously in their museums and making major changes to interpretive and curatorial practices.

Government: The challenges of being a national museum can impact an institution's scope and mandate as well as create bureaucratic hurdles. Many of the museums we visited had to balance politics with museology as a result of being located in the capital city and political centre of Canada.

Canada 150 logo at the Canadian Museum of Nature (Photo: Natania Sherman)

Thank you to all of the museums and museum professionals who hosted us and shared their current and upcoming projects with us. We really appreciated you taking time out of your busy schedules to talk to us and answer our questions. A special thank you to social chair Kelly Mackenzie and MUSSA for organizing the trip and making sure that everyone had a great time in Ottawa.

CAPITAL CULTURE: THE ORIGINS OF OTTAWA'S MUSEUMS

THROWBACK THURSDAY

BY: SERENA YPELAAR

The title says it all ... this week I'm with some of my Museum Studies classmates in Ottawa, and today is our first full day in our nation's capital!

During my undergrad at the University of Ottawa, I would religiously keep Thursday evenings open so I could enjoy weekly free admission to museums in the city. It's surreal to be back at my old museum haunts as a U of T MMSt student, so I’ve decided to revisit the origins of each museum we'll be visiting. How were these key learning hubs founded, and how did they evolve into the landmarks they are today? Take a look and get acquainted with the history of these museums below.

Canadian Museum of History
Founded: 1856
Initially located at the Geological Survey Building, the Museum of History displayed minerals, biological specimens, and ethnographical artifacts. By 1910 the museum was named the National Museum of Canada and moved into the Victoria Memorial Museum. Eventually, in 1968, the museum was split into the Museum of Man and the Museum of Nature. The latter would remain in the building while the Museum of Man moved to its current location in 1989. To ensure a more gender-neutral name, the museum was rechristened the Canadian Museum of Civilization in 1986 before becoming the Canadian Museum of History under the Museums Act in 2013. The CMH operates in a shared network with the Canadian War Museum. 

Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Quebec. Source.

What to look for: The Grand Hall is hard to miss, as it's one of the first things you'll see upon entering. The vast canoe-shaped hall hosts a dozen totem poles, as well as the plaster cast for Bill Reid's sculpture, “Spirit of Haida Gwaii”. The forest image spanning the back wall is thought to be the largest colour photograph in the world.

National Gallery of Canada
Founded: 1880
The National Gallery was formed by Canada's Governor General at the time, Michael Douglas Sutherland Campbell, 9th Duke of Argyll. As a prominent figure in society, the Governor General even selected some of the Gallery's first paintings. As of 1882, the Gallery resided in the Supreme Court building, but it too would move to the Victoria Memorial Museum in 1911. The first National Gallery Act was passed in 1913, giving the Gallery its mandate. 1962 saw the museum move to an office on Elgin Street called the Lorne Building, and by 1988 the Gallery was in its current location on Sussex Drive.

"Maman" sculpture by Louise Bourgeois outside the National Gallery of Canada. Source.

What to look for: There's a large atrium nestled at the heart of the gallery, complete with a glimmering pool, high ceilings and skylights. It's a great place to sit and relax, or to take a quiet moment between viewing all the works. Keep an eye out for a similar garden oasis too.

Canada Aviation and Space Museum
Founded: 1964
More recently founded at RCAF Station Rockcliffe as the National Aeronautical Collection, the Canada Aviation and Space Museum was originally an amalgamation of three existing collections (National Aviation Museum at Uplands, Canadian War Museum collection, and the RCAF Museum). The museum was housed in World War II era hangars, but was moved into a triangular hangar in 1988, where it remained. A new hangar was opened in 2006 for additional storage of aircraft. The museum changed its name to “Canada Aviation and Space Museum” in 2010 shortly after reopening from extensive renovation and expansion. CASM is part of the Canada Science and Technology Museums Corporation.

WWI Sopwith Ship Camel biplane at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum. Source.

What to look for: The Ace Academy travelling exhibition allows visitors to operate a virtual aircraft in an immersive environment, using their movements to steer a digital rendering of the museum’s Sopwith Ship Camel biplane.

Bytown Museum
Founded: 1917
The Women's Canadian Historical Society of Ottawa (WCHSO) founded the Bytown Museum, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. Based on the collections of influential women in society, the museum was originally located on Nicholas Street across from the Carleton County Gaol. Today it is housed in the Commissariat building next to the Rideau Canal, between Parliament Hill and Château Laurier. The Commissariat dates back to the construction of the Rideau Canal as overseen by Colonel John By, and the Bytown Museum reflects the history of Ottawa and its roots in the building of the Canal. 

The Bytown Museum, situated alongside the Rideau Canal. Source.

What to look for: I'm a bit biased because I was on the Bytown Youth Council during my undergrad, but the museum boasts a number of unique political and military artifacts on the third floor. Look for Thomas D'Arcy McGee’s death hand in the flesh – or plaster, rather – the cast follows a Victorian death mask tradition and was taken just after his assassination in 1868. Keep an eye out for the pocket bible that intercepted a bullet in WWI and saved the life of the soldier who was carrying it.

Hopefully this list was a sufficient primer on the museums we’re visiting. If you’re not with us in Ottawa this week, with any luck you’ll able to visit these institutions in the near future!

3 EXHIBITIONS IN 1 DAY, BROUGHT TO YOU BY CANADA’S NATIONAL MUSEUMS

EXHIBITION REVIEWS

BY: MADELINE SMOLARZ

I completed a 4-year undergraduate degree and a 2015 summer internship in Ottawa; some of my favourite memories were made in the capital and I’ve developed a strong attachment for it. Therefore, when contributing editor Leah Moncada said she wanted to head north for a couple days to visit an exhibition she worked on during her own internship, I jumped at the chance. Little did we know at the time that “a couple days” would really mean “26 hours.” We ended up arriving in Ottawa on a Thursday around 4:30pm and were on a train again the following day at 6:30pm.

It was a quick trip, but to no one’s surprise (at least, those folks who know us well), we managed to fit in 3 national museums. Granted, we did not go through every gallery and exhibition in these institutions. We travelled with a specific set of exhibitions in mind. I will be rating these exhibitions on a series of characteristics that they all share on a 5-star scale, so please join me in reliving our ambitious museum tour of the capital!

A view of Parliament on the misty night we walked to the Canadian Museum of History. Photo Credit: Madeline Smolarz.

Canadian Museum of History – “Vikings” December 3, 2015 – April 17, 2016

Layout: ★★★ - The layout of “Vikings” was determined by a set of colour-coded themes, which seemed great in theory and started off strong. However, they were not executed well overall and seemed to disintegrate as one moved through the exhibition.

Ambiance: ★★★★★ - Whoever came up with the lighting, sound, and colour palette for “Vikings” deserves a raise. It was dimly lit in the exhibition space with various sounds of Viking life blending together and pinpricks of light, bringing to mind a longhouse with sun shining in through various spots. I’m all in favour of this kind of immersive experience.

Interpretive Text: ★★ - Too. Much. Text. Between the doubling of French and English and the fact that the English was too long to begin with, you would be in there for hours if you wanted to read all of the text. Repetition in text also occurred frequently, which was slightly frustrating.

Objects / Artworks: ★★★★ - The artefacts chosen for the exhibition were quite excellent and represented the huge variety in the Viking experience well. The most breathtaking display was that of a longboat’s rivets suspended in mid-air to give the shape of the ship they once held together.

Interactive Elements: ★★★★★ - There was animal skins to touch, at least three games to play, a Viking table to sit at, rope to feel, a reproduction sword to lift, and more. Fantastic.

Accessibility: ★★ - Some of the text panels were very low to the ground. Coupled with somewhat small text, this made reading sometimes difficult. Certain areas also created bottlenecks that made it tricky for those with mobility devices to move freely.

Overall Execution of Core Theme: ★★★ - As a half-Scandinavian person, I appreciated the exhibition’s strong efforts to demystify Vikings. However, I did not enjoy the overload of information and the questionable layout.

Nearly all of the rivets from 1 longship were strung together to form its shape. Photo Credit: Madeline Smolarz.

Canadian War Museum – “World War Women” October 23, 2015 – April 3, 2016

Layout: ★★★★ This exhibition also used a layout driven by colour-coded themes, but “World War Women” (“WWW”) actually used these colours for the paint and text panels, which clearly delineated different areas. I did get a little lost at one point as to where to go next due to the twisting paths.

Ambiance: ★★★★ - The main sound track was a series of wistful songs played on a record, but inside various areas, there were pockets of sounds suited to the themes. In this bright exhibition, you saw women’s faces, heard their voices, and noticed their memorabilia everywhere.

Interpretive Text: ★★★★★ - In stark contrast to “Vikings,” “WWW” had the most perfect length of text I’ve ever encountered. So much was said with very few words. Shorter paragraphs and sentences did not take away from the visitor’s learning experience, but rather enhanced it.

Objects / Artworks: ★★★★★ - A round of applause for the exhibition developers who gathered all of the objects and stories attached to every single one for “WWW!” There was at least 1 artefact for every role women had during the World Wars, and I was incredibly impressed.

Interactive Elements: ★★ - Here’s where “WWW” fell short. There were three interactives, and two were response-wall based that required writing. The third was a knitting table with an interpreter present, but for those of us who can’t knit, it was intimidating.

Accessibility: ★★★★ - The size of text was great in most areas, cases were at a good height, and seating was scattered throughout the space. However, some corners might have been tough for wheelchairs, and certain panels had an annoying sheen that made them hard to read.

Overall Execution of Core Theme: ★★★★ - I was really pleased by the wide representation of the roles women had and the powerful weight of the personal stories the exhibition tells.

One area of WWW demonstrated the impact of propaganda during the World Wars. Photo Credit: Madeline Smolarz.

National Gallery of Canada – “Human Scale” March 11 – April 10, 2016

Layout: ★★★★ - The temporary exhibition space on the first floor used for “Human Scale” sports cavernous rooms and alcoves, perfect for to-scale and larger-than life depictions of the human body. I was startled by what I saw as I turned a corner twice, which I actually liked!

Ambiance: ★★★★★ - Overall, the sparse backdrop of pale walls and wood floors allowed the complex and sometimes uncomfortable feelings the works produce to take center stage.

Interpretive Text: ★★ - I am not a contemporary art expert, but I know enough to recognize when there is a disconnection between interpretive text and the works at hand. It didn’t happen for every piece, but I was shaking my head at half of what was written on the walls.

Objects / Artworks: ★★★★ - “Human Scale” contains just 8 sculptures spread out across a large floor plan, but they are each so jarring and thought-provoking that any more and the exhibition would be overwhelming.

Interactive Elements: ★ - Other than the ability to walk 360 degrees around the majority of the pieces, there was no other way to engage with the artwork, unless you count a video in one room depicting one of the artists at work.

Accessibility: ★★★ - There was lots of room to move around in the exhibition, and space to park mobility devices in the video room. However, the understated style and small size of the text panels made it hard for a number of people to read them at once.

Overall Execution of Core Theme: ★★★★★ - Although this is by no means a perfect show, the way in which it forces viewers to confront and renegotiate their ideas about the human body by presenting it on various scales was unexpectedly brilliant and will stick with me for a long time.

One of the massive representations of an infant in "Human Scale", with Leah for scale. Photo Credit: Madeline Smolarz.

Have you seen any of these exhibitions yet? If so, do you agree / disagree with my ratings? Please share your thoughts and comments below!