This Veterans’ Week, as we approach Remembrance Day, we wanted to share a couple videos highlighting the Hong Kong Veterans Collection at the Museum. In this video, Cortney Pachet tells us a bit about the Hong Kong Veterans and shows us some of the artifacts in the collections that tell us about their experiences in prisoner-of-war camps during WWII.
In profound sadness, we honour and remember Senator Murray Sinclair – “Mazina Giizhik” (the One Who Speaks of Pictures in the Sky), a towering figure in history, whose legacy of courage, resilience, and fight for justice will endure for generations. Senator Sinclair stood as a true warrior, believing that through truth we could find our way to reconciliation, and that as a nation, we were not beyond redemption or unable to heal. We send our deepest condolences to Senator Sinclair’s children and grandchildren, his home community of Peguis First Nation, and all the communities who share in the grief of this immeasurable loss.
Senator Sinclair laid a path for us to continue on this journey; he was ever unwavering in his determination to change the course of history and to make right all the ways Canada had wronged Indigenous peoples. The Manitoba Museum Board of Governors, staff, and volunteers wish to express our deepest gratitude to Senator Murray Sinclair for the depth of knowledge and guidance he gifted to the Museum in the creation of its Indian Residential School exhibition. We will be forever indebted to this incredible leader, fearless advocate, and monumental Manitoban.
Image: Material republished with the express permission of: Ottawa Citizen, a division of Postmedia Network Inc.
It’s that time of year! People are buying, creating, or dusting off their Halloween costumes. In this video, join Cortney Pachet in one of the storage rooms to see some of the Halloween costume pieces in the Museum Collection. Would you wear any of these?
Join us for Halloween Takeover, October 26 & 27!
Eyes on the sky, stargazers! Manitobans have a chance to see a bright comet in our evening skies this week. In this video with Planetarium Astronomer Scott Young, find out how to spot Comet Tsuchinshen-ATLAS yourself!
Learn more in his blog, here.
By the time you read this, Earth will have not just one but two comets visiting our corner of the solar system. These objects remind us that our planet is part of a solar system that is dynamic and still has new objects awaiting discovery. With luck, both of these objects will be visible to the average person with the unaided eye.
Comets are small, icy bodies in our solar system which are left over from the formation of the solar system, kept “fresh” in the deep freeze of deep space. Occasionally, collisions or the gravity of an outer planet will push one in towards the Sun on a long, looping oval path. Closer to the Sun, the ice melts and releases a long tail of dust that can be seen from Earth. At any given time, there are a half-dozen or more comets in the sky, but most are invisible without a powerful telescope.
Image: Bright comets have been seen throughout recorded history, and have often been seen as evil omens. Comet Halley was visible in 1066 and was immortalized in the Bayeux tapestry.
Comet 2023 A3 (Tsuchinshen-ATLAS) was discovered last year and has put on an amazing show in the southern hemisphere in late September and early October. When it becomes visible from Canada in mid-October it should be an interesting sight for Manitobans throughout the fall. Meanwhile, a second comet called 2024 S1 (ATLAS) was recently discovered that may pass very close to the Sun at the end of October, perhaps becoming very bright… or disintegrating in the Sun’s heat.
The Orbit of Comet Tsuchinshen-ATLAS dives down from above the solar system (on the left of the image), passes close to the Sun, and then heads back up between Earth and Sun. Manitobans will see it as it passes above the Sun this month. © NASA SSD
The Sky isn’t just starry wallpaper and Supermoons – there is a lot going on up there. You can find out how to see the planets and other celestial events by following the Manitoba Museum’s Astronomy blog at ManitobaMuseum.ca/Stories or taking in one of our exciting planetarium shows.
The stars belong to everyone, so join along as we explore the beauty and wonder of our universe.
Image: A sungrazing comet like Comet 2024 S1 (ATLAS) can put on an amazing show if it survives its passage around the Sun. This image shows sungrazing Comet McNaught, also known as “the Great Comet of 2007”.
Sometimes when Dr. Diana Bizecki Robson goes out in the field to research the wild plants growing throughout Manitoba, she encounters species that she can’t identify without equipment in the lab.
In this video, find out how she transports these specimens back to the Museum and what work goes into identifying them and adding them to the collection!
See some of the Museum’s herbarium collection in our online exhibit at PrairiePollination.ca.
Did you know these fun facts about beavers? In this video, join Learning & Engagement Producer Erin in the Boreal Forest Gallery to learn some of the amazing adaptations that help beavers thrive.
Dr. Joe Moysiuk spent some time in the field this summer looking for fossils. Join us in this video for an “unboxing” of one of the fabulous specimens that he found!
Learn more about Palaeontology research being done at the Museum, here.
By Tabitha Harper, Museum Advisor on Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, & Amelia Fay, Curator of Anthropology and HBC Museum Collections
As we approach the annual National Day for Truth & Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day, folks maybe be curious about their role in Truth & Reconciliation. Many Indigenous leaders and community members have urged that truth needs to come before reconciliation, followed by action to create meaningful impact. Museums have a uniquely important role in changing past narratives and practices to move forward with ReconciliACTION.
Although museums carry a lot of colonial baggage, the Manitoba Museum staff (past and present) have been working hard to make the Museum a safe space to learn about history. In-person visitors to the Museum can choose from various programs and exhibits to engage with difficult histories, we also have resources available on our website and YouTube channel that you can view from home.
The Orange Shirt Day Reflection Wall encourages you to share your thoughts and make a commitment to reconciliation. © Manitoba Museum
The digital kiosk in our Prairies Gallery Schoolhouse exhibit provides opportunities for learning and reflection about the truth of residential schools. © Manitoba Museum
Not sure where to begin? Below are a few topics that I think are a great starting place, no matter where you are in your reconciliation learning journey.
During Orange Shirt Days, daily powwow demonstrations by Beautiful Cloud Company provides the opportunity to learn about the resilience of Indigenous culture. © Manitoba Museum
For many non-Indigenous readers, learning more about these topics might bring up a lot of feelings and make you uncomfortable, and that’s okay. The important thing is to not dismiss information that challenges what you knew about Canadian history, but instead sit with the discomfort and think about why you might feel this way. Moving forward, I recommend looking at the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation’s website for ‘ReconciliACTION Plans’ (nctr.ca/reconciliaction-plans) to create your own action plan.
Join us for a time of learning, reflection, and response.
Three days of free admission to all areas September 28 – 30. No tickets required.
The Criddle family had a wide variety of interests and talents, which some of them pursued as careers and others as hobbies. While patriarch Percy Criddle wasn’t a visual artist, some of his family members were very skilled artists.
In this video with Collections Technician Cortney Pachet, we’ll take a look at some of the work done by three artists within the family: Percy’s mother, Mary Ann, his son, Norman, and his granddaughter, Ann.
