Exhibit Development

The new museum is vital to the care of this world-class collection and the realization of all that it can inspire. A collection of this calibre deserves the very best possible home – to preserve, promote and protect, and to foster skills and traditions for generations to come.

At the core of the new museum will be the Exhibition Galleries and Collection Centre – spaces totalling 20,000 square feet. For the first time, the entire collection will be on site and accessible as part of the visitor experience.

• • Exhibition Galleries – Approximately 20,000 square feet of Class A (curatorial standard) exhibit space expected to feature thematic exhibition zones.

• • Collection Centre – Approximately 20,000 square feet of Class A (curatorial standard) open storage space, featuring more than 500 full-sized watercraft stored on individual mounts and arranged on racking systems, as well as small artifacts storage.

Visitors will also see and hear Indigenous languages and voices from the moment they enter the Museum, with the local Michi Saagig dialect of Anishnaabemowin used throughout the building and within its exhibits alongside English and French, with additional Indigenous languages featured in relation to specific watercraft.

Leadership

The Museum’s curatorial staff team is working with experts, thought leaders, and community members from coast to coast to coast to ensure that the collection is experienced to its fullest in the new exhibit spaces.

CCM Exhibits Design Team

Jeremy Ward (Curator) • Dr. Laura Peers (Exhibits Project Manager) • Beth Stanley (Associate Curator) • MaryJane Proulx (Exhibits Project Coordinator) • Karen Taylor (Director of Programs) • Carolyn Hyslop (Executive Director)

As part of our commitment to collaborative relations, the Museum is beginning to work directly with eight Indigenous communities and with an emerging Indigenous museum professional to ensure that Indigenous knowledges, perspectives, and voices are directly represented in the exhibitions and educational programming. We will be announcing these roles shortly. 

Exhibits Design Firm

The Museum has also partnered with GSM Project, following a nationwide search process. The firm is working alongside staff to create truly unique visitor experiences. The Museum has joined GSM Project’s repertoire of more than 1,000 exhibit designs in more than 120 cities worldwide. GSM Project was the lead designer of the new Canadian History Hall at the Canadian Museum of History – the largest exhibition about Canadian history ever developed.

Learn more about our exhibit design process and our approach to collaborative relations here.

Design & Build News