Canadian War Museum - Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
N 45° 24.997 W 075° 43.023
18T E 443896 N 5029483
Located at Vimy Place in Ottawa, Ontario.
Waymark Code: WM4V4M
Location: Ontario, Canada
Date Posted: 09/30/2008
Views: 81
An entirely new and must-see attraction, this national museum presents Canada's military past and how it shaped the country. Its outstanding exhibitions explain Canada's rich military history from earliest times to the present, featuring the experiences of people on the battlefields and at home.
The Canadian War Museum traces its origins back to 1880, when it consisted primarily of a collection of militia artifacts. In 1967, it moved to an old archives building on Sussex Drive in Ottawa, with most of its collections stored in a converted streetcar barn in west-central Ottawa. In May 2001, the federal government announced its support for the construction of a new Canadian War Museum on the prime LeBreton Flats site in downtown Ottawa. Its opening in May 2005 not only marked the 60th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe, but also the 125th anniversary of the Canadian War Museum itself.
The Canadian War Museum's Permanent Exhibition is divided into four chronological galleries, from earliest times to the most recent military operations. A fifth gallery, the Royal Canadian Legion Hall of Honour, chronicles the history and importance of remembrance in the Canadian military experience. Each gallery highlights defining moments in Canada's military history, and the ways in which past
events have shaped the nation. More importantly, the exhibitions use the human experience of war told mainly through the personal stories, artifacts and recollections of ordinary Canadians to engage visitors in a personal dialogue about their country, its past, and its prospects.
Visitors can explore each gallery of the Permanent Exhibition separately from a central hub, or experience them sequentially in a walk through time which transports them across the country and around the world, from the South African veldt to the mountains of Afghanistan. As visitors journey across the centuries and around the globe, they will meet the men and women who - in war, in peace and on the homefront - have contributed to the development of Canada's social and political fabric. The story of conflict is a story as old as time, and the Canadian War Museum is dedicated to bringing this story to life as it familiarizes visitors with the human side of war. It is a story told primarily through the histories of individuals, rather than through objects and artifacts.
The Museum
¥ The Museum was designed by Raymond Moriyama of Moriyama & Teshima Architects, in joint venture with Alex Rankin of Griffiths Rankin Cook Architects. The innovative design is based on the theme of 'regeneration', which brings to mind not only the impact of war on the land, but also Nature's ability to regenerate and to recover from the devastation of human conflict.
¥ Energy-efficient construction and the use of recycled materials reflect the Museum's architectural theme of 'regeneration'. The organic and environmentally responsive design themes are reflected
in the choice of construction materials. River water is used in the cooling systems and recycled fly ash is used in the concrete (the building's main construction material, noted for its high energyefficiency). Native self-seeding grasses create a low-maintenance green roof and, at 10,684 square metres (115,000 square feet), it is one of the largest of its kind in Canada.
¥ Origin of the copper used in the interior of the building: recycled copper from the roof of the Library of Parliament.
¥ The Museum features Morse Code windows in both official languages that leads 'Lest We Forget' on the North peak, and other windows that spell out the Museum's initials "CWM" on the South wall.
¥ At 11 a.m., each November 11, the sun shines through the window of the Museum's Memorial Hall and illuminates the only artifact in that space: the headstone of Canada's Unknown Soldier.
The Exhibitions
¥ Distance travelled if you explore the entire Permanent Exhibition: 2 km (1.2 miles).
¥ Number of original artworks on display: 330.
¥ Total number of artifacts on display in the Canadian Experience Galleries: 2,167.
¥ Number of featured audiovisual productions: 135.
¥ Number of graphic images inside the Museum: 2,000.
The Collections
¥ Total number of artifacts in the Museum's collection: approximately 500,000.
¥ Volumes of books in the Military History Research Centre: 55,000.
¥ Photo archives: 65,500.
¥ Victoria cross medals: 28.
¥ Alex Colville paintings and sketches: 400.
¥ Group of Seven paintings and sketches: 370.
Hours:
May 1 to June 30: Seven days a week, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Thursdays to 9:00 p.m.
July 1 to September 1: Seven days a week, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Thursdays and Fridays until 9:00 p.m.
September 2 to October 13: Seven days a week, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Thursdays until 9:00 p.m.
October 14 to April 30: Tuesday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (closed Monday); Saturday and Sunday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Thursdays until 8:00 p.m.
Monday, November 10: Open (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
Remembrance Day, November 11: Open (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) - Free general admission
Opening hours: see long description
Open all year: Yes
Related web-page: [Web Link]
Wikipedia link:: [Web Link]
|
Visit Instructions:
Please supply proof of your visit such as a photo of the museum or a sign signifying same.
A "Visited" only remark will be deleted.