WHAT ELSE IS PLANNED FOR 2017
ARCTIC GALLERY
The Canadian Museum of Nature will mark the 150th anniversary by opening a new permanent gallery about the Arctic that, it says, will “transform people’s understanding” of the high north. The creative concept and design approach will be revealed this fall. The museum says the new gallery will show that the Arctic is a rich, diverse and cultural environment, not just a land of snow and ice, and that there are deep connections between the natural environment and the activities of humans.
VIMY RIDGE EXHIBIT
The Canadian War Museum is planning at least two new exhibitions for 2017. One, opening in April, will examine the 1917 battle for Vimy Ridge and how it has affected Canada. According to museum spokeswoman Yasmine Mingay, one section of the exhibition will focus on the battle itself, another on its almost mythical transformation into an iconic event in Canada history, and a third on the use by other nations of keystone battles to forge shared identity and heritage.
Also in 2017, the war museum is planning an exhibition tentatively called “Fenians — Fathers of Confederation.” It will explore the reaction to the Fenian raids in British North America and how they stimulated support for Confederation.
VIDEO GAMES AWARDS
The Canada Aviation and Space Museum will host the 2015 Canadian Video Games Awards in 2017. The event will feature a full week of head-to-head game playing, projected on buildings in the capital. Aside from that, “other activities are currently under consideration, but not yet confirmed,” says Kelly Ray, a spokeswoman for the Canada Science and Technology Museum Corporation, which also operates the aviation and agriculture museums.
TO BE ANNOUNCED?
The only national cultural institution in the capital with nothing to announce yet for 2017 is the National Gallery of Canada. “We are working on special projects for 2017,” says gallery spokeswoman Josée-Britanie Mallet. “However, we are not ready to disclose the specific nature of these projects at this time.”