Each month we highlight a member (excluding Associates) in the associate’s newsletter TIAC Talk. The TIAC Talk is circulated to over 8,000 qualified industry and stakeholder email addresses, so this is a great opportunity to share information about your organization or company including what’s new, accomplishments and innovative ideas, with peers across Canada.

See below for The Canadian Museum of History’s member spotlight.

1. Tell us about your tourism business/organization:

• The Canadian Museum of History is Canada’s national museum of human history. Located in Gatineau, Quebec, along the scenic Ottawa River, the Museum is housed in an iconic building designed by Indigenous architect Douglas Cardinal. It celebrates the diverse histories, stories, and cultures of Indigenous Peoples through galleries, displays and monumental works of art.

2. What sets your business/organization apart in the tourism industry?

• The Museum is one of Canada’s most popular cultural institutions, with a collection of more than 4 million items, including 1,500 authentic artifacts, many of which are national treasures. The spectacular Grand Hall, one of the Museum’s 5 permanent exhibitions, showcases the world’s largest indoor totem pole collection. In addition, the Museum is also home to the Canadian Children’s Museum which encourages children and families to explore the world through play, and the CINÉ+ which showcases inspiring, larger-than-life documentary films that connect audiences with culture, history and science.

3. How has your business adapted to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic or in today’s new global environment?

• Reaching Canadians/audiences wherever they may be has always been a priority, but the necessity emanating from the COVID reality for us all, in Canada and around the world, forced organizations to try new innovative approaches – virtual events, virtual classrooms, digital exhibitions, self-led activities; social media crosswords, virtual conferences, virtual tours of Museum galleries or works of art with experts etc.

• All that was learned was then has been integrated into Museums best practices, from planning to delivery. That learning has been valuable as we advance strategies to continue to engage with audiences within the Museums walls and digitally through our websites and programming reaching across the country and internationally.

4. What are some notable success stories or achievements your business has had in recent years?

• The Museums partner with several organizations to present major community events on site, such as Canada Day, Bluesfest, Winterlude, Les Grands Feux, Riverside Festival, Canadian Army Run and more, which allows even more Canadians to have easy access to the Museums to learn about our shared history. Despite the restrictions that COVID-19 brought to the tourism industry, Museums were able to be open and offer programming for special anniversaries and commemorations in 2020 and 2021. Last year saw numbers and program offers return closer to pre-pandemic levels and we look forward to even more this year.

5. How has your affiliation (membership) with the Tourism Industry Association of Canada benefited your business?

• The Museum and the Canadian War Museum have been a member of the Tourism Industry Association of Canada for many years. Tourism is an important sector of activity for the Museums, therefore all the work conducted by TIAC to support the industry (funding, promotional and development funding, trade missions, trade events) is beneficial for us. TIAC has provided us with valuable information related to tourism statistics, industry trends and Canada’s competitive positioning. TIAC is one of the trusted sources that we use to be kept abreast of development and changes occurring in the industry. Especially during the pandemic, we deferred to TIAC that played a pivotal role in providing regular, updated, and accurate information on the situation and its impact in the industry.

If you would like to be showcased in the TIAC Talk, we would love to hear from you!  Please complete the online form by clicking here.