1999-2000: A Banner Year for the Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation
Hull, Quebec, August 17, 2000 — The Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation (CMCC) - comprised of the Canadian Museum of Civilization (CMC) and the Canadian War Museum (CWM) - tabled its 1999-2000 annual report this week in the House of Commons. The report outlines the past year's challenges and achievements of the Corporation, Canada's national repository of human history.
"As we end the 1999-2000 fiscal year, the Corporation is facing many new challenges and opportunities in support of its mandate," wrote Chairman Dr. John English in his message.
"From the construction of a new national home for the Canadian War Museum, to completion of long-term exhibitions in its Canada Hall and First Peoples Hall," added Dr. English, "the Corporation continues to maintain and enhance the national icons that nurture Canadian unity and a national identity. As we head into a new year, with Dr. Victor Rabinovitch as the new CEO, myself as new Chairman and a new national museum to build, I have no doubt that the Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation will remain responsive and responsible to the public it serves."
Some of the Corporation's achievements this year include:
- Funding of $58.25 million from the federal government for the construction of a new purpose-built Canadian War Museum facility, and the raising of $4.6 million from the private sector, as of March 31, 2000, towards a $15-million goal for exhibitions and programming in the new facility.
- Over $1,386,000 received in cash from various private donors and sponsors for CMC exhibitions and programmes, as well as generous in-kind gifts received by the Corporation.
- Important new research, both in the field and within the collections - including the recent identification of a three-metre length of yarn from a Dorset culture site as being of Norse manufacture, indicating possible contact between Europeans and people of the Arctic long before Cabot or Cartier.
- International initiatives, including two online virtual museums: the Cybermusée du Sahel and continued development of the Virtual Museum of New France. Numerous awards for excellence, including awards for publications, scholarship, promotion and outreach.
- Following a record-breaking year for attendance, a small increase of 1% in revenues.
Addressing the many ways in which the Corporation continues to pursue museological innovation in the areas of outreach, education and programming, Acting CEO Joe Geurts wrote: "Museums are no longer only research institutions... For several years, museums around the world have been at a crossroads - tasked with finding new ways to deliver age-old mandates. The Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation is no stranger to this phenomenon, and continues to look for ways to anticipate, meet and share in the museological responsibilities of a brave new world."
The Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation annual report is available from the Corporation's Web site at www.civilization.ca
Information (media):
Media Relations Officer: (819) 776-7169
Senior Media Relations Officer: (819) 776-7167
Fax: (819) 776-7187
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