National Museums of Canada - History

History

The concept of a national museum in Canada had its beginnings on May 16, 1856 when the government of the Province of Canada authorized the Geological Survey of Canada to establish a Geological Museum in Montreal (then the capital of the province). After a later move to Ottawa, the scope of this museum gradually expanded until the National Museum of Canada was officially created from what was then the Museum Branch of the federal Department of Mines on January 5, 1927. From April 1, 1968, the newly-created National Museums of Canada Corporation operated four museums, until 1990 when the four present corporations came into being.

Pier 21 was jointly opened in Halifax, Nova Scotia by the Government of Canada, Pier 21 Society, Pier 21 Foundation and the Halifax Port Authority in 1999 and operated mostly as a non-profit site. As of February 2011, this museum became known henceforth as the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, and so there are now six national museums in Canada. This is the second national museum not within the National Capital Region. The other five Canadian National museums are

  • Canada Science and Technology Museum which encompasses the Canada Agriculture Museum as well as the Canada Aviation Museum
  • Canadian Museum of Nature (Was formerly named the National Museum of Natural Sciences)
  • Canadian Museum of Civilization which encompasses the Canadian War Museum (This Canadian Museum of Civilization was formerly named the National Museum of Man)
  • National Gallery of Canada which encompasses the Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography
  • Canadian Museum for Human Rights which has had its ground breaking ceremony.

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