A note from me: When my son asked to write an article for the blog, and pitched his take on the Canadian History Hall at the Canadian History Museum, I was happy to encourage his writing and time to reflect. Turns out, he had great things to say about it and with many helpful details. So today, please enjoy his guest post below!
Hello historians, are you wondering where to get more information about Canada? Well, this is your guide. Today, we’ll be diving into the Canada History Hall.
Where Is Canadian History Hall?
The Canadian History Hall is located in the Canadian History Museum in Ottawa. It is linked to the Canadian War Museum, which is very close the neighboring museum (editor’s note: You can get a duo pass/membership to both of these museums and Canada History Hall is included with your regular History Museum admission). You’ll have to take a quick walk to some escalators to enter the hall. There, you’re free to go.
What Is Canadian History Hall?
The Canadian History Hall is a journey through canadian history. It takes you from 70000 BCE all the way to present times.
Yes, you heard correctly, 70000 BCE. Our history is very long and will make the journey very enjoyable.
Now, here’s my take on this museum. It is very detailed. It is so detailed I think that a person with no knowledge of our history could come out of the hall with enough knowledge to name our prime ministers in order. Why? Because the museum takes around 2 hours at least to get through if you read the shortest bit.
If you’re willing to go the historian way however, you could spend 8 hours or your whole day re-reading or admiring the visuals.
Yes, don’t worry, the museum is not only words and documents, it has enough pictures and interactive objects that can keep you busy, to entertain younger guests.
Please note that you won’t get the full experience without reading though.
But, nonetheless, the architects and builders did do a fantastic job with building, for instance, the church in the 1800s times.
But, the writers also did tell us about dark history too. They do tell us about awful things our ancestors and governors did to first peoples living in Canada before us. It is important to recognize these moments.
Some of the parts I found the most engaging were the New-France era and the french exploration of Canada. The artifacts and other designs are interesting and worth a look.
Also, they did a good job with the 1800s which discussed war and Confederation. They did have artifacts there as well and other replicas of what early settlers would use during this time. I found it interesting that some the artifacts there made me think of what it would’ve been like then and how easy life is now.
Speaking of now, the modern section is also very cool to experience. It features more pictures than artifacts but that makes it a bit easier to keep up with. Especially since cameras were starting to be popular around said time period. I do think that the more time you spend in New France though, since there is a lot to learn and a lot to see. I personally found the other sections not as engaging as New France. Also, since New France is the beginning of early European settlement in Canada, this will make the other sections make more sense.
It’s like in a movie series. You can’t watch the last movie in the series first, or you won’t understand what happened before it.
Overall the Canadian History Hall is a great place to learn about Canada if you haven’t already. And don’t worry, you don’t need to know about all of our history before you get there, Or have to read every single line. The visuals are great, and the structures look amazing. It is a well worth experience for any casual learner or the most experienced historian.
Thank you for reading, have a nice day.
