GATINEAU, Que. – The Conservative government is spending $25 million to retool the Canadian Museum of Civilization in advance of Canada’s 150th birthday in 2017.
GATINEAU, Que. – The Conservative government is spending $25 million to retool the Canadian Museum of Civilization in advance of Canada’s 150th birthday in 2017.
Heritage Minister James Moore says the government will rechristen the museum as the Canadian Museum of History.
The museum will highlight achievements, accomplishments and artifacts such as the “last spike” from the Canada Pacific Railway and Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope.
Moore says former Montreal Canadiens winger Maurice “Rocket” Richard’s iconic hockey jersey will also be on display.
Moore says the renovation, to encompass more than 4,600 square metres of space, will illustrate how Canada’s identity has been shaped over the course of its history, and be paid for through existing funding.
The federal government is also seeking input from Canadians about what sort of national milestones the rebranded museum should acknowledge, and linking museums across the country for better public access to the country’s shared history.