Canada Science and Technology Museum

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Canada Science and Technology Museum
Established 1967
Location 1867 St Laurent Blvd

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1G 5A3
Website http://www.sciencetech.technomuses.ca/

The Canada Science and Technology Museum (French: Musée des sciences et de la technologie du Canada) is located in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada on St. Laurent Boulevard, to the south of the Queensway (Highway 417).

The National Museum of Science and Technology was established in 1967 as a Centennial project by the Canadian Government. It was the first museum to employ interactive exhibits.[citation needed] The role of the Museum is to help the public to understand the Transformation of Canada and the ongoing relationships between science, technology and Canadian society.

The museum is controlled by the Canada Science and Technology Museum Corporation, which is responsible for preserving and protecting Canada's scientific and technical heritage. The Corporation has a staff of about 275 and is responsible for three museums:

The Canada Science and Technology Museum fulfils its mission through its collection, permanent, temporary and travelling exhibits, special events, school programs, workshops and demonstrations, publications, loans, conferences and lectures, expert advice, and joint action with other museums and organizations with similar goals and interests.

The subject areas covered by the collections and curatorial staff include: communications; domestic technology, energy, forestry, graphic arts, land transportation, marine transportation, mining, and physical sciences & space. The museum's collections include more than 40,000 artifacts, 60,000 pieces of trade literature and almost a million photographs. Its Library is open to the public and the resources of the Reserve Collections may be used by researchers by prior arrangement.

Permanent exhibits include Innovation Canada, Connexions, Canada in Space and the Locomotive Pavilion. Highlighted artifacts include the Canadian National Railways 6400 steam locomotive, ZEEP nuclear reactor from the Atomic Energy of Canada's laboratories at Chalk River, Ontario, the Tokamak de Varennes fusion reactor, Black Brant rocket and launcher, and Titanic model. Furthermore there are exhibits highlighting research by other Canadian government scientific research organizations. The museum sits in Technology Park where visitors can visit the Cape North (Nova Scotia) lighthouse which was first used at Cape Race, Newfoundland in 1856. The CN 6200 steam locomotive, a Convair Atlas rocket, an oil well pump jack and the Helen Sawyer Hogg Observatory with the 15 inch refracting telescope originally from the Dominion Observatory.

Allow at least 2 hours for a visit. Exhibits are bilingual (French and English).

In 2001, the museum began looking for a new location to move to, citing a lack of space and accessibility.[1] The desire for more scenic surroundings was also a factor, as the museum is currently surrounded mostly by warehouses and strip malls. Four locations are being considered: the western section of Lebreton Flats, on the Rockcliffe Parkway next to the Canada Aviation Museum (both in Ottawa), in Jacques Cartier Park on Rue Laurier, and a site on Rue Montcalm (both in the neighbouring city of Gatineau).

Conservative cabinet minister and MP for Pontiac (which includes the eastern tip of Gatineau) Lawrence Cannon recently put his support behind the Jacques Cartier Park option, indicating that it may likely be chosen.[2]

[edit] See Also

[edit] External links

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Canada Science and Technology Museum - Official Press Release, May 30, 2002
  2. ^ Ottawa Citizen, April 15, 2006
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