Canadian Museum of Civilization

Any traveler interested in Canada's history and aboriginal people will want to make a trip to the Canadian Museum of Civilization.

The Canadian Museum of Civilization is dedicated to the preservation and display of Canada's history and to the culture and art of the First Peoples (a common Canadian term for the pre-European native population of Canada).

The Museum, in Hull, Quebec, is across the Ottawa River from Parliament Hill, Ottawa. Douglas Cardinal designed the two massive curvilinear buildings that make up the museum and the curatorial department. The design was intended to be evocative of the formation of the North American continent and its subsequent reshaping by glaciers, wind, and water.

The Grand Hall exhibit space is a little over 19,000 square feet (1,782 sq m) and contains six full-size reproduction facades of houses and totems. Each facade represents a typical chieftain's home in one of six Aboriginal communities from coastal British Columbia. The Museum is working with the Native people of each region represented to create a cooperative exhibit for the houses' interiors.

The First Peoples Hall celebrates the contributions of Canada's First Peoples. Exhibits include works of art, audiovisual presentations, artifacts, and archival documents. The exhibit is self-guided or a guided tour is available for an additional fee.

Housed on the third level of the Museum, the Canada Hall illustrates the history of the country for the last 1000 years with a series of life-size displays. Visitors may catch a performance by Dramamuse, the Museum's in-house theatre company. The troupe stages re-enactments of scenes from the country's past in the exhibit area and are available to answer questions.

The Canadian Children's Museum, on the second level, takes children on an interactive adventure around the world. An art studio, puppet theatre, and game section round out the exhibits.

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