Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR)
The Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR), inaugurated in September 2014 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, holds the distinction of being the world's first museum dedicated exclusively to human rights awareness and education. This national museum, developed through the vision of Canadian media figure Israel Asper and supported by various governmental bodies and partnerships, aims to enhance public understanding of human rights, foster respect, and stimulate reflection and dialogue. The museum's architect, Antoine Predock, designed the building to symbolize unity and the shared experiences of humanity, incorporating elements that evoke nature and spirituality.
Covering over 21,000 square meters, the CMHR features immersive and interactive exhibits, with eleven permanent galleries addressing diverse topics such as Indigenous perspectives and the protection of rights in Canada. The museum has been involved in several controversies, particularly regarding the representation of various historical atrocities, including the Holocaust and the treatment of Indigenous peoples in Canada. Critics have raised concerns over the focus of exhibits and the language used to describe human rights abuses. Through its innovative design and educational mission, the CMHR seeks to engage visitors in meaningful discussions and inspire advocacy for human rights globally.
Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR)
The Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR), which opened in September 2014, is the world’s first museum dedicated solely to human rights awareness and education. The museum is located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Originally conceived of by Canadian media mogul Israel Asper, the project was ultimately built by a joint commission of the Asper Foundation, the government of Canada, the province of Manitoba, the city of Winnipeg, and The Forks North Portage Partnership.
In 2008, the Canadian Parliament added legislation to the existing Museum Act, establishing the mission of the CMHR as exploring the subject of human rights, giving special reference to Canada, with the goals of enhancing the public’s understanding of human rights, promoting respect for others, and encouraging reflection and dialogue.
The architecture of the museum’s building, which was designed by Antoine Predock, is intended to heighten the experience for visitors and add meaning to the experience of learning about human rights.
Background
The idea for the CMHR was first conceived of by Israel Asper. A Canadian lawyer who was born in the province of Manitoba, Asper became an attorney, politician, and founder of media conglomerate Canwest Global Communications. In 1997, he resigned as CEO of Canwest to focus on giving back to his community. Through his philanthropic foundation, the Asper Foundation, he sought to improve Canada. He was involved in public policy making and charitable giving.
In 2000, Asper began planning a museum that would commemorate victims of abuse and educate visitors to advocate for protection of human rights. He also hoped the museum would rejuvenate the downtown Winnipeg area with a boost to the tourism industry.
In April 2003, following an extensive feasibility study by museum experts, Asper announced the intent to build the CMHR. Several government bodies promised to help fund the museum, among them the federal government, the province of Manitoba, and the city of Winnipeg. The Forks Renewal Corporation, a corporation formed with the purpose of redeveloping downtown Winnipeg, committed to donating the land.
Also in 2003, the Friends of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights embarked on a campaign to find a suitable architect. One hundred architects from twenty-one countries submitted entries in the competition. Antoine Predock, an architect from Albuquerque, New Mexico, won the competition to design the museum’s building.
Asper died suddenly and unexpectedly of a heart attack in October 2003, at the age of 71. Following his death, his daughter Gail dedicated herself to completing the museum project.
In 2007, the prime minister of Canada, Stephen Harper, announced the government’s plan to turn the CMHR into a national museum. Following that announcement, all political parties agreed to pass a 2008 amendment to the parliament’s Museum Act. The amendment declared the CMHR a national museum; it would be the first national museum built since 1967 and the first museum erected outside of the National Capital Region of Canada.
In December 2008, a groundbreaking ceremony was held at the site, and construction on the CMHR began in April 20009. The museum was finally inaugurated in September 2014.
Overview
The Canadian Museum for Human Rights opened in 2014 with the goal of engaging visitors in an immersive, interactive experience that inspires them to help other people. In addition to teaching people about human rights, it seeks to preserve the heritage of Canada and contribute to the sense of identity of all Canadians.
The museum cost $351 million to build. The architecture of the museum is designed to complement and enhance the content of the displays.
Design
The museum’s architect, Antoine Predock, instilled the design of the building with symbolism. The general appearance of the structure is meant to conjure images of ice, clouds, and stone, set in a field of grass. These elements represent the commonality of all humankind. Additionally, the building’s composition resembles the wings of a white dove embracing a stone mountain composed of 450- million-year-old limestone. The dove symbolizes unity, and the ancient limestone symbolizes the timelessness of the landmark.
A walk through the 21,154-square-meter museum is meant to parallel a journey through life. Protective stone arms called the "Roots" stand at the entrance to the museum. The roots celebrate the sun, with openings that mark the paths of the equinox and solstice. Next, visitors descend into the earth, symbolically appreciating the earth as the spiritual center for many cultures. They then reach the "Great Hall," which was carved from the earth, and then begin their ascent of the "Tower of Hope." A series of steep ramps brings visitors to the exhibits, which are arranged as a sequence of galleries along a defined path. The Tower of Hope is characterized by symbols of change in the physical state of material and water. Those changes are intended to mirror the hope for positive changes in the human race.
The museum’s displays comprise eleven permanent galleries, among them, "Indigenous Perspectives," "Protecting Rights in Canada," and "Inspiring Change."
Controversies
The CMHR has been the subject of several controversies. Among the most contentious issues was the museum’s 2010 announcement that it would display only two permanent exhibits: one on the Holocaust and one on the mistreatment of the aboriginal peoples in Canada. Other groups complained that the focus on two atrocities would downplay the significance of other horrors.
One of the most vocal critics of this decision was the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, which sought the inclusion of the Holodomor, a 1932-33 famine created by Stalin that killed millions of Ukrainians. In response, the CMHR assured its detractors that the Holodomor atrocity would have a permanent display in the "Mass Atrocity" zone. It also assured that other incidents of concern would be featured, including Canada’s internment of Ukrainians during World War I and of Germans, Italians, and Japanese during World War II.
Canadian aboriginal groups, who were reassured that human rights abuses against aboriginal people would be displayed in the "Indigenous Rights" gallery, again expressed outrage in 2013 when they learned that the term "genocide" would not be used to describe their experience. The CMHR stood its ground, saying that it would provide historical facts and emerging information so that visitors could draw their own conclusions about Canada’s treatment of aboriginals.
Additionally, the museum’s allocation of space and information to the Holocaust concerns some supporters of Palestinian rights, who contend that the omission of the Palestinian issue reveals a bias toward Jewish concerns.
Bibliography
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Ball, Karyn, and Per Anders Rudling. "The Underbelly of Canadian Multiculturalism: Holocaust Obfuscation and Envy in the Debate about the Canadian Museum for Human Rights." Holocaust Studies 20.3 (2014): 33-80. Print.
Chatterley, Catherine D. "Canada's Struggle with Holocaust Memorialization: The War Museum Controversy, Ethnic Identity Politics, and the Canadian Museum for Human Rights." Holocaust and Genocide Studies 29.2 (2015): 189-211. Print.
"Feds, Province Rescue Human Rights Museum. The Canadian Jewish News. 31 July 2012. Web. 17 Dec. 2015.
Hatherly, Dana. "First Nations Launch Human Rights Violations Museum on CMHR Grounds." The Manitoban. 23 Sept. 2014. Web. 17 Dec. 2015.
Hinton, Alexander Laban, Thomas La Pointe, and Douglas Irvin-Erikson. Hidden Genocides: Power, Knowledge, Memory. Rutgers UP, 2013. Print.
Khan, Saad Omar. "Ideology and the Public Purse: The Canadian Museum for Human Rights." The Public Policy Governance Review. 17 Nov. 2014. Web. 17 Dec. 2015.
News, CBC. "Human Rights Museum Sparks Debate over Term 'genocide'" CBCnews. CBC/Radio Canada, 26 July 2013. Web. 17 Dec. 2015.
Wong, Kimlee. "Human Rights Hypocrisy: The Canadian Museum for Human Rights." Global Research. Centre for Research on Globalisation, 12 Sept. 2014. Web. 17 Dec. 2015.