Canadian Museum of History

The Canadian Museum of History (, formerly the Canadian Museum of Civilization) is Canada's national museum of human history. It is located in the Hull area of Gatineau, Quebec, directly across the Ottawa River from Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario. The museum's primary purpose is to collect, study, preserve, and present material objects that illuminate the human history of Canada and the cultural diversity of its people. In October 2012, it was announced that the museum would be renamed from the Canadian Museum of Civilization to the Canadian Museum of History, with an increased focus on Canadian history and people. The name change became official when the Canadian Museum of History Act received Royal Assent on December 12, 2013. Changes to the museum's visual identity were implemented gradually over the course of the following months. The Museum of History's permanent galleries explore Canada's 20,000 years of human history and a program of special exhibitions expands on Canadian themes and explore other cultures and civilizations, past and present. The museum is also a major research institution. Its staff includes leading experts in Canadian history, archaeology, ethnology, folk culture, and more. With roots stretching back to 1856, the museum is one of North America's oldest cultural institutions. It is also home to the Canadian Children's Museum, and an IMAX Theatre with 3D capacity. It used to be the home of the Canadian Postal Museum. The Museum of History is managed by the Canadian Museum of History Corporation, a federal Crown Corporation that is also responsible for the Canadian War Museum, the Children's Museum and the Virtual Museum of New France. The museum is a member of the Canadian Museums Association. The museum was designed by Douglas Cardinal, a famous Aboriginal architect educated at the University of British Columbia and the University of Texas at Austin.