Today, the canoe is as Canadian as the maple leaf. How did this powerful symbol evolve? A new exhibition entitled "Canoes: The Shape of Success" produced by the Canada Science and Technology Museum (CSTM) allows visitors to discover how early commercial canoe builders helped people answer "the call of the wild" and built a Canadian icon in the process.

The exhibition explores how the success of the commercial canoe made it a universally recognizable symbol of Canada. The simplicity, elegance and efficiency of its design led to its success as a commercial product. As its popularity grew, the canoe image was used increasingly in promotion and advertising. Both the aesthetically pleasing shape of the canoe and its evocative power contributed to the iconographic status of the canoe in Canada.

Two major sections

The Rice Lake Collection, which has received "cultural property" designation, was acquired by the Museum in 1994 and this unique, nationally significant collection is the foundation for this exhibition. The collection consists of patterns, moulds, tools, order books, ledger and pay books, award certificates from world fairs, photos and promotional materials. Other items on display include a selection of fine canoes -- the Centennial Canoe is one of them -- thwarts, paddles, and magnificent photos and reproductions of paintings all having the canoe as a central theme.

Visitors enjoy a computer interactive that allows them to design their own canoe and to see how changing variables can affect speed, capacity, stability and turning ability. Through other interactive elements, they can also experience the feeling of being in a canoe, see different types of early canoe construction, and share canoeing stories.

The Museum is proud to present the temporary exhibition "Canoes: The Shape of Success" which is slated to become, after its presentation at CSTM, a travelling exhibition.

The Canada Science and Technology Museum is located at 1867 St. Laurent Boulevard (at Lancaster Road) in Ottawa. During the summer months it is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.. After Labour Day, it is open daily except Monday, also from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. There is plenty of free parking.