Message from the President and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. George F. MacDonald
Photo: Chris Milula, The Ottawa Citizen
This was a year of strong emotions, as the Museum welcomed several new members to its governing Board; as it worked to improve the quality of its public services; as it coped with reduced funding; and as its site became the focus of the local rally supporting national unity at the time of the Quebec referendum. One of my most unforgettable moments as CEO was seeing the throng of Canadians who crowded into the Grand Hall and packed the plazas and terraces outside it, waving their flags. It was a moment that in many ways epitomized what this institution is about: a museum for the people, and a place where they can feel and express what it means to be Canadian.
The Corporation has maintained high standards in its
traditional areas of activity during the year. Judging from
attendance figures, this was our most successful year so far.
This success is attributable to many achievements, of which I
would particularly like to mention several outstanding
exhibitions presented this year, including a dazzling
exhibition from the Graz armoury in Austria,
Imperial Austria: Treasures
of Art, Arms and Armor from the State of Styria; the
breathtaking Japanese kimonos of
Homage to Nature:
Landscape Kimonos by Itchiku Kubota; and our own
exhibitions highlighting the cultural contributions of Canadians, The
Doukhobors: Spirit Wrestlers and *Les paradis du
monde*: Quebec Folk Art. In addition, considerable effort
was expended on permanent features of the CMC, including the
opening of a Japanese Zen Garden in the presence of their
Imperial Highnesses Prince and Princess Takamado of Japan, and ongoing
development of Phase II of the Museum's
popular Canada Hall. We were also very proud this year to
have been responsible for the Canadian pavilion at the 1995
Venice Biennale, where we presented an art installation by
Métis artist Edward Poitras. The installation attracted
significant international media interest and will be presented
at the Museum in June 1996. Also, the première of our new
IMAX® film Mystery
of the Maya was accompanied by
spectacular exhibits that brought the entrance plaza of the
Canadian Museum of Civilization to life. As for the Canadian
War Museum, it opened a new permanent gallery - the Hall of
Honour - and the exhibition Victory!
celebrating the Allied victory in Europe.
In our non-traditional activities, important advances have
been made. CDs and CD-ROMs on a variety of subjects have been
published, and we have found in our Web site a vehicle for
achieving a level of outreach that the Corporation has never
had before. It is fortunate that, at a time of financial
cutbacks, we have at our disposal the means to extend our
reach in a cost-effective manner. These technologies are a
liberating force that will in time allow growing audiences
around the world to delve deeply into digital archives; to
browse through artifact collections to a degree unprecedented
in the real, physical museum; and to enjoy virtual-reality
experiences comparable to what the museum can offer visitors
to its actual site. Electronic visitors to the Corporation's
Web site, since we went online, have exceeded one million, and
will surely exceed the number of visitors to our physical
sites in the coming year.
The Museum hopes to launch several experiments that will
propel the virtual museum beyond what it is now. We envisage a
virtual museum that will change people's perceptions of what
culture and knowledge are all about. Our objective is not to
have a museum that is about technology alone, but a museum
that delivers messages. That is the real communications
challenge.
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