Canadian War Museum: Tales of War and Peace






A Bell Kiowa helicopter for the Canadian Peacekeepers permanent exhibition. These 40- foot craft were used by the U.S. Army in Vietnam and are still being used by the Canadian Forces as light observation helicopters and as target-spotters for fighter aircraft. Photo: W. Kent.

The Canadian War Museum (CWM), an affiliate of the CMC, has a mandate to make Canadians aware of their military history, from the earliest times to the present day. This past year, the CWM continued to evolve as a world-class museum, reaching out to a broader public and developing its exhibition techniques. Over the past two years, the CWM has increased the number of its visitors by more than 40 per cent, at a time when other federal institutions saw visitation decline.

A major focus in 1995-1996 was the 50th anniversary of the Second World War, marked by special exhibitions, publications and a host of commemorative events. These attracted record attendance and media attention, as well as unprecedented interest from researchers, potential donors and borrowers.

A new permanent gallery, the Hall of Honour, was unveiled in May 1995. It showcases the valour of individuals, both prominent figures and ordinary citizens, who contributed to heroic ventures such as the Liberation of Europe 1944_1945, peacekeeping, and search-and-rescue. The gallery tells of their acts of courage through medals and mementoes, and incorporates interactive technology. Focusing on 40 individuals at a time, the gallery stresses the human story behind the medals and artifacts on display.

Special Exhibitions

Victory, a temporary exhibition celebrating the Allied victory in Europe, opened on May 20, 1995 (to February 1997). Artifacts and works of art highlight the liberation of the Netherlands, the end of the war, and the joy of peace. The exhibition was opened by Princess Margriet of The Netherlands and was used as a performance venue by the visiting Netherlands Army Band.

Travelling Exhibitions

The Art of War (works from the CWM collection), June to September 1995 at the Confederation Centre Art Gallery and Museum, Charlottetown, P.E.I. An electronic version is now being added to the World Wide Web site of the Canadian Embassy in Washington.
Normandy Summer 1944, July to October 1995 at the Museum of the Regiments, Calgary, Alberta.
Three War Artists, November to December 1995 at the North Bay Arts Centre, North Bay, Ontario.

Second World War Commemoration Activities

  • Two event-packed weekends in May 1995 featuring a flypast of vintage aircraft, military parades, fireworks, a 1940s-style dance and outreach exhibitions.
  • A reunion of Canada's female naval personnel, the "Wrens".
  • Receptions for merchant seamen and Canadian veterans of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising of 1944.
  • Local commemoration of ANZAC day, the national remembrance day of Australia and New Zealand.
  • Unveiling of the Hong Kong exhibition, to coincide with the Ottawa gathering of veterans of the Pacific war, 1941- 1945.

Remembrance Day Observances

  • The "Meet a Veteran" Programme, featuring a number of women veterans and a First World War survivor, who shared their experiences with thousands of visitors.
  • A Sunset Ceremony in the CWM courtyard.
  • A special First Nations tribute.

CWM Highlights

  • 106 new acquisitions
  • 1,016 artifacts catalogued
  • 188 incoming loans (1,274 artifacts)
  • 22 outgoing loans (403 artifacts)
  • 11 exhibition loans (335 artifacts)

Major Acquisitions

  • Medals and material of John Osborn, who received the only Victoria Cross awarded for the defence of Hong Kong.
  • Personal material of Nursing Sister Mary Macdonald, first Canadian nurse killed in action.
  • An 1804 portrait of Major Norton, a Native leader during the War of 1812.
  • Seven Second World War Canadian-made vehicles.
  • A Bell Kiowa helicopter for the Canada's Peacekeepers permanent exhibition, opening in 1996.

Publications

Articles

BRANDON, L. "Carl Schaefer, War Artist, 1903-95" in Canadian Military History.
---- "A Unique and Important Asset?" in Material History Review.
---- "Genesis of a Painting: Alex Colville's War Drawings" in Canadian Military History.

HALLIDAY, H. "Rescue Mission" in The Beaver.
---- "The Senate Paintings" in The Beaver.
---- "History, Memory and Historiography" in Literary Review of Canada.
---- "Dieppe: The Awards" in Canadian Military History.
---- "Symbols of Honour" in Material History Review.

PULSIFER, C. Editing of Vol. 42 of Material History Review.

REID, M. "The Guards Go West, 1885" in Journal of the Orders, Medals & Research Society.
---- "The Commissariat & Transport Corps in Egypt, 1882" in Journal of the Orders, Medals & Research Society.

Books and other publications

GAFFEN, F. The Road to Victory: A History of Canada in the Second World War. (Also available in French)
---- Cross-Border Warriors: Canadians in American Forces, Americans in Canadian Forces

Four Battle Series booklets and four fact sheets by members of staff.

Outreach Activities

On CWM premises:

  • Interpretive guides in period costume hired during the summer months to animate exhibitions and attract visitors with Courtyard activities.
  • Hands-on programmes for children, both within the CWM and delivered in schools by an educational outreach worker.
  • An Open House at Vimy House, enabling the public to view the vast store of items in the collection not normally on display.
  • A lecture on the Dieppe raid by the author of a controversial book on the subject.
  • Book launches for Persian Excursion, and First in the Field, and another run of the popular film series Hollywood Goes to War.
  • Première of a film produced by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

At other venues:

  • Two squadrons of eighteenth-century replica sail-training ships travelled on The Louisbourg Voyage, from the Great Lakes down the St. Lawrence to Louisbourg, Cape Breton. The ships made stops in communities along the way, promoting awareness of the CWM. In Louisbourg, an information booth advertised the CWM to 80,000 summer visitors.
  • The CWM developed a home page on the World Wide Web.
  • Staff gave lectures on peacekeeping and on Canadian Jewish War Veterans.
  • Lectures were delived at the unveiling of the Vietnam Memorial in Windsor, Ontario and on the Queen's Scarf (awarded to heroes of the Boer War).
  • A presentation by the head of Museum Publishing was made before a Senate Committee on Native veterans.

Table of Contents

Created: September 21, 1996. Last update: July 19, 2001
© Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation
Government of Canada