Winnipeg turns 150 this year! Join Dr. Roland Sawatzky in the Winnipeg Gallery to see some of the artifacts newcomers to Canada and Winnipeg brought with them when they arrived here.
This series is ongoing throughout 2024, so keep an eye out for more #Wpg150 videos!
MEDIA ADVISORY – The Manitoba Museum’s Planetarium Astronomer, Scott Young, will be hosting a press conference on Thursday, April 4 to answer media questions regarding the upcoming solar eclipse and the Manitoba Museum’s Solar Eclipse Viewing Party.
Date: Thursday, April 4, 2024
Time: 9:00 am – 10:00 am
Location: Manitoba Museum Auditorium at 190 Rupert Ave. Please enter through the lower concourse stairwell.
A partial solar eclipse will be visible in Manitoba on Monday April 8 between 12:30 pm and 3:15 pm. A Solar Eclipse Viewing Party and live stream event, hosted by the Manitoba Museum in partnership with Assiniboine Park Conservancy and the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, will be held at The Leaf in Assiniboine Park on Monday, April 8 between 12:30 pm and 3:15 pm.
For more information regarding the 2024 solar eclipse please visit our website.
For Additional Information:
Brandi Hayberg, Manager of Marketing & Communications
Email: BHayberg@ManitobaMuseum.ca
Phone: 204 988 0614
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ANISHINAABE AND DAKOTA TERRITORY, MB — The Southern Chiefs’ Organization (SCO) is pleased to announce “Manidoo Miiniigooizowin, A Gift from the Creator,” SCO’s special 25th Anniversary Exhibit on display now at the Manitoba Museum.
“The Southern Chiefs’ Organization is very pleased to launch “Manidoo Miiniigooizowin, A Gift from the Creator,” a powerful exhibit that showcases incredible objects that represent our 34 Anishinaabe and Dakota member Nations,” shared Grand Chief Jerry Daniels. “The exhibition is a celebration of the past, present, and future. The objects on display exemplify the beauty and resilience of the Anishinaabe and Dakota peoples and celebrate the 25th anniversary of SCO.”
Following the guidance of Elders and Knowledge Keepers, SCO and the Manitoba Museum created the exhibition in ceremony. It opens in advance of spring break, which is the museum’s busiest time of the year.
“Many of the objects in this exhibit have been generously shared by individuals and families who proudly represent their respective Nations, and all were designed or made by talented citizens of the SCO member Nations,” shared Chief E.J. Fontaine of the Sagkeeng Anicinabe First Nation. “I am pleased to share that Amanda McLeod, a Sagkeeng citizen, is the co-curator and I commend SCO for ensuring a talented southern First Nation person had a prominent role in developing the exhibit.”
This exhibit also includes historical objects from the Manitoba Museum collections —community treasures from decades past. With both the ‘old’ and the ‘new’ on display, Manidoo Miiniigooizowin, A Gift from the Creator showcases a walk through many Anishinaabe and Dakota generations.
SCO thanks the Manitoba Museum and expresses gratitude for providing the space for the exhibit.
“Co-creating and co-curating Manidoo Miiniigooizowin: A Gift from the Creator with the Southern Chiefs’ Organization was a great honour for our team and a meaningful opportunity to celebrate SCO’s incredible history and contemporary work. Community exhibitions offer the Museum a unique way to discover and share stories that help us know and appreciate one another; Manidoo Miiniigooizowin honours the diverse identities, knowledge, resistance, strengths, and talents of Anishinaabe and Dakota peoples. This beautiful collaboration will bring many communities together, for which we are truly grateful,” shared Dorota Blumczyńska, Chief Executive Officer of the Manitoba Museum.
“In curating this exhibit, we wanted to showcase the vibrancy, talents, and skills of Anishinaabe and Dakota peoples and it also broaden the perception of what First Nations art is. As such, we chose to include artists and makers at various stages of their careers and across a multitude of media, from historical to contemporary,” stated Amanda McLeod, Co-Curator and member of the Sagkeeng Anicinabe Nation.
McLeod earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Conservation Studies at Birmingham City University and the City and Guilds of London Art School in London, England, before returning home to earn a Master of Arts in Cultural Studies and Curatorial Practices at the University of Winnipeg.
“This exhibit started by examining the collections at the museum and we found 19 SCO member Nations were represented. From there, Amanda reached out to community members to ensure all 34 Nations were showcased. Co-curating this exhibit with Amanda has not only been really enjoyable but also incredibly beneficial for relationship-building and working together in the spirit of respect and reciprocity,” shared Dr. Amelia Fay, Curator of Anthropology and the HBC Museum Collection.
The Manidoo Miiniigooizowin, A Gift from the Creator exhibit runs for one year. Admission to the Manitoba Museum is free of charge for First Nation, Inuit, and Métis peoples. The exhibit is the first of several events SCO has planned to recognize and celebrate their 25 years of advocacy and service.
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The Southern Chiefs’ Organization represents 34 First Nations and more than 87,000 citizens in what is now called southern Manitoba. SCO is celebrating 25 years of service as an independent political organization that protects, preserves, promotes, and enhances First Nations peoples’ inherent rights, languages, customs, and traditions through the application and implementation of the spirit and intent of the Treaty-making process.
For media inquiries:
Email: Media@scoinc.mb.ca
The tools that conservators use to fix, repair, and clean objects are pretty unique, in that many of these items come from different professions rather than being made specifically for artifact and specimen conservation. In this video, Senior Conservator Carolyn shows us some of the tools she uses to conserve the Museum Collection!
Click here to learn more about the tools found in a conservator’s toolbox in Carolyn’s blog post.
Did you ever grab a meal at the C. Kelekis Restaurant during its time as a Winnipeg staple?
In this video with Collections Technician of Human History, Cortney, check out some Kelekis memorabilia that was donated to the Museum after the restaurant closed.
On Monday, April 8, 2024, viewers across North America will have an amazing opportunity to experience the motions of the solar system in real time! On that afternoon a solar eclipse will be visible across the province and across the continent. Learn more in this video with Planetarium Astronomer Scott Young!
Click here to buy your certified eclipse glasses from the Museum Shop
Find further eclipse viewing details on our website here.
The tools Conservator’s use to fix, repair, and clean objects in a Museum collection are pretty unique, in that many of these items come from different professions or have been custom-made to suit the job. During a recent behind-the-scenes tour I was asked about the tools I had laid out in my tray, stuffed into foam to protect the sharp edges, and things that looked a bit like they came from another planet. I thought I would share some of the tools used in the Conservation lab, as a way to spark imagination and inspiration for anyone that has been stuck on a project not knowing what tool could be right for the job!
The first item that I am deeply passionate about are my purple and pink scissors. Everyone in the lab knows that if you borrow these purple and pink scissors to make sure to return it to the tray immediately, as I am very invested in these little tools! These small delicate scissors, come from the cosmetic industry and are mostly used by estheticians. Slightly curved, incredibly sharp, and a very fine pointed tip, these scissors work magic for repairing textiles, cutting extremely detailed molds and casts in reproductions, and any other work that needs an accurate slice.
Dental tools would be the next array of instruments that we use in the Conservation lab. Not only are dental tools good at cleaning your teeth but they are great for cleaning objects! Caution is used however when we pick-up these strong metal tools, because they can cause damage if used on an improper object. Dental picks and scrapers are often used on wooden objects, when there is something deep in cracks or crevices that needs to be removed.
Diving into a different industry that Conservator’s seek tools from, would be the world of circuit boards and computer repair. The glass bristle brush is about the size of a pen, and has a fibre glass tip that is adjustable in height depending on the work being done. Archaeological metals, such as brass buttons or thimbles, are where these fine detailed tools work well to burnish or remove corrosion products. A few cautions are followed when using a glass bristle brush, including wearing a respirator, safety glasses, and protecting the body with a lab coat. The fine glass bristles break off as the tool is brushed back and forth, which is why safety is of utmost importance.
Bone folders, micro spatulas, tacking irons, brass rulers, tweezers, and scalpels are a small list of names of other unique tools that we reach for most often. It’s important that before we perform a conservation treatment on an object in the collection that we ensure the method we choose will be successful, causing no further deterioration then what has already occurred. This means, we really have to think outside of the box, not rush into a treatment, and make sure we have the right tool (wherever that is found) for the job!
Join Science Communicator Adriana in the Science Gallery to check out one of our newest exhibits – the magnetic ball wall! Learn which forces are taught by this fun hands-on exhibit.
The city of Winnipeg turns 150 this year! Join Curator of History Dr. Roland Sawatzky in the Winnipeg Gallery to learn some of the early history of the city of Winnipeg.
This series is ongoing throughout 2024, so keep an eye out for more #Wpg150 videos!
Trilobites tend to be well-preserved in the fossil record, but some of the fossil trilobites in the Museum Collection look like pieces of their head are missing. Why is this and what does it have to do with trilobite growth spurts?
Find out in this video with Curator of Palaeontology & Geology Dr. Joe Moysiuk!
