The Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR), which opened last month, is one of the first museums in the world dedicated exclusively to human rights of all kinds.
Initially established as a private institution in 2003 by the late entrepreneur and philanthropist Israel Asper, the scope of the project grew until it was designated a national museum in 2008 by the federal government.
It has been given a mandate to “explore the subject of human rights with special, but not exclusive, reference to Canada” and its goal is to enhance the public’s understanding of human rights, promote respect for others and encourage reflection and dialogue.
The institution is the first national museum to open in Canada since 1967 and the only one to be built outside the country’s national capital region.
Situated in downtown Winnipeg, Manitoba, the museum is housed in a new building destined to become one of the city’s major landmarks. The exhibits are laid out across six levels and 11 galleries.
A 100-metre structure known as the Tower of Hope rises from the top of the building, giving visitors panoramic views over the city. The building also houses an interior garden that is designed to act as a space for contemplation.
The CMHR aims to take an educational rather than activist approach, according to its president and chief executive Stuart Murray. He wants it to encourage visitors to engage in informal debate and think about the role they can play in advancing human rights.
The collection features around 300 artefacts, but its primary focus is on ideas rather than objects. Exhibits consist of oral history recordings, text and video, as well as digital interactives, soundscapes and a 360° film. The museum opened with an award-winning exhibition exploring the history of disability rights in Ottawa.
How did the idea for a museum for human rights come about?
Stuart Murray: The museum was created by one of Canada’s very interesting entrepreneurs, Israel Asper. He had the idea of creating a space where students could learn about our history and talk about a better vision for society.
At the time, students were being sent down to the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC to learn more about human rights, and Asper started to think: “It’s too bad that there’s nothing like that in Canada.”
The museum is intended to be a place of inspiration where we can look at human rights through an educational lens. It is a very noble Canadian experiment.
What impact do you think the museum will have on those who visit it?
We hope it will have a huge impact. We don’t want to take people on a finger-pointing exercise but on a journey of multiple perspectives on what can be very difficult subject matter. Visitors will be exposed to different opinions and challenged in their own views, but our main goal is to inspire people.
The museum has to be a place where people feel comfortable and we hope visitors will feel inspired that they can make a difference. We’ve taken inspiration from Nelson Mandela’s words: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
What are the main ways the subject matter will be interpreted?
We’re not based around a collection, we’re based around an idea. We do have objects and originally commissioned works of art to help people engage with the subject matter, but that is not our core focus. The strongest point of the collection is recorded oral histories. We have around 150 of these to date, people with lived experiences.
We will use digital technology to support storytelling and engage our visitors, moving people from visitor to participant through immersive multimedia: image, soundscapes, projections and digital interactives. There are seven theatres in the museum showing films and videos, as well as spaces for art, poetry and music.
What types of audiences do you expect to come to the museum?
The museum is for everyone but if we think that there are some elements not suitable for children, staff will have the opportunity to work with schools to give them a sense of where their journey should begin in the museum. We will be shining a light in some dark corners that need to be exposed but also talking about stories of hope and survival.
What is the significance of the museum being in Winnipeg?
Winnipeg has a rich history in human rights, particularly the suffragette movement (Manitoba was the first province in Canada to give women the vote), the labour movement and French-language rights.
It’s where indigenous people first met explorers. Physically, it is located in an area known as The Forks, where two rivers meet. For 5,000 years, indigenous people have been coming together on this land to talk about rights and values.
How does the architecture reflect the subject matter?
The building is an integral part of the visitor experience. It is envisioned as growing in an organic way, with four roots anchored in mother earth. Visitors descend into the earth to enter and at first it is a sombre place.
They are led through the galleries on backlit ramps made from white alabaster that glow against the black concrete, representing a transition from darkness into light. Every gallery becomes lighter until visitors emerge into the Tower of Hope at the top of the museum.
Outside, the facade of the building is a huge, glass structure that the architect describes as the wings of a dove. It creates a passionate view of what human rights can be in a building.
Initially established as a private institution in 2003 by the late entrepreneur and philanthropist Israel Asper, the scope of the project grew until it was designated a national museum in 2008 by the federal government.
It has been given a mandate to “explore the subject of human rights with special, but not exclusive, reference to Canada” and its goal is to enhance the public’s understanding of human rights, promote respect for others and encourage reflection and dialogue.
The institution is the first national museum to open in Canada since 1967 and the only one to be built outside the country’s national capital region.
Situated in downtown Winnipeg, Manitoba, the museum is housed in a new building destined to become one of the city’s major landmarks. The exhibits are laid out across six levels and 11 galleries.
A 100-metre structure known as the Tower of Hope rises from the top of the building, giving visitors panoramic views over the city. The building also houses an interior garden that is designed to act as a space for contemplation.
The CMHR aims to take an educational rather than activist approach, according to its president and chief executive Stuart Murray. He wants it to encourage visitors to engage in informal debate and think about the role they can play in advancing human rights.
The collection features around 300 artefacts, but its primary focus is on ideas rather than objects. Exhibits consist of oral history recordings, text and video, as well as digital interactives, soundscapes and a 360° film. The museum opened with an award-winning exhibition exploring the history of disability rights in Ottawa.
How did the idea for a museum for human rights come about?
Stuart Murray: The museum was created by one of Canada’s very interesting entrepreneurs, Israel Asper. He had the idea of creating a space where students could learn about our history and talk about a better vision for society.
At the time, students were being sent down to the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC to learn more about human rights, and Asper started to think: “It’s too bad that there’s nothing like that in Canada.”
The museum is intended to be a place of inspiration where we can look at human rights through an educational lens. It is a very noble Canadian experiment.
What impact do you think the museum will have on those who visit it?
We hope it will have a huge impact. We don’t want to take people on a finger-pointing exercise but on a journey of multiple perspectives on what can be very difficult subject matter. Visitors will be exposed to different opinions and challenged in their own views, but our main goal is to inspire people.
The museum has to be a place where people feel comfortable and we hope visitors will feel inspired that they can make a difference. We’ve taken inspiration from Nelson Mandela’s words: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
What are the main ways the subject matter will be interpreted?
We’re not based around a collection, we’re based around an idea. We do have objects and originally commissioned works of art to help people engage with the subject matter, but that is not our core focus. The strongest point of the collection is recorded oral histories. We have around 150 of these to date, people with lived experiences.
We will use digital technology to support storytelling and engage our visitors, moving people from visitor to participant through immersive multimedia: image, soundscapes, projections and digital interactives. There are seven theatres in the museum showing films and videos, as well as spaces for art, poetry and music.
What types of audiences do you expect to come to the museum?
The museum is for everyone but if we think that there are some elements not suitable for children, staff will have the opportunity to work with schools to give them a sense of where their journey should begin in the museum. We will be shining a light in some dark corners that need to be exposed but also talking about stories of hope and survival.
What is the significance of the museum being in Winnipeg?
Winnipeg has a rich history in human rights, particularly the suffragette movement (Manitoba was the first province in Canada to give women the vote), the labour movement and French-language rights.
It’s where indigenous people first met explorers. Physically, it is located in an area known as The Forks, where two rivers meet. For 5,000 years, indigenous people have been coming together on this land to talk about rights and values.
How does the architecture reflect the subject matter?
The building is an integral part of the visitor experience. It is envisioned as growing in an organic way, with four roots anchored in mother earth. Visitors descend into the earth to enter and at first it is a sombre place.
They are led through the galleries on backlit ramps made from white alabaster that glow against the black concrete, representing a transition from darkness into light. Every gallery becomes lighter until visitors emerge into the Tower of Hope at the top of the museum.
Outside, the facade of the building is a huge, glass structure that the architect describes as the wings of a dove. It creates a passionate view of what human rights can be in a building.
Project data
- Cost $351m
- Main funders Government of Canada; government of Manitoba; city of Winnipeg; private donors
- Architect Antoine Predock
- Construction PCL Construction; Smith Carter Architects
- Digital interactives Ralph Appelbaum Associates
