Canada Science and Technology Museum
Encyclopedia
The Canada Science and Technology Museum is located in Ottawa
, Ontario
, on St. Laurent Boulevard, to the south of the Queensway (Highway 417).
was established in 1967 as a Centennial
project by the Canadian Government. It was the first museum to employ interactive exhibits. The role of the Museum is to help the public to understand the technological and scientific history of Canada and the ongoing relationships between science, technology and Canadian society.
The subject areas covered by the collections and curatorial staff include: communications; domestic technology
, energy, forestry, graphic arts, land transportation, marine transportation, mining, and physical sciences & space. The museum's collections include more than 40,000 artifacts, 60,000 pieces of trade literature and almost a million photographs. Its library is open to the public and the resources of the Reserve Collections may be used by researchers by prior arrangement.
Permanent exhibits include Innovation Canada about Canadian inventors and inventors, Connexions about the evolution of communications, Digital Networks, Canada in Space, the Locomotive Pavilion and an exhibit about canoes. Highlighted artifacts include the Canadian National Railway
s 6400 steam locomotive
, ZEEP
nuclear reactor from the Atomic Energy of Canada
's laboratories at Chalk River, Ontario
, the Tokamak
de Varennes fusion reactor
, Black Brant rocket
and launcher, and Titanic model. Furthermore, there are exhibits highlighting research by other Canadian government scientific research organizations
, and the Canadian Science and Engineering Hall of Fame
.
The museum sits in Technology Park where visitors can also visit the Cape North
(Nova Scotia
) lighthouse
which was first used at Cape Race
, Newfoundland in 1856. The CN 6200 steam locomotive
, a Convair Atlas rocket, an oil well
pumpjack
, and the Helen Sawyer Hogg
Observatory with the 15 in (38.1 cm) refracting telescope
originally from the Dominion Observatory
.
Allow at least 2 hours for a visit. Exhibits are bilingual (French and English).
s. Four locations are being considered: the western section of LeBreton Flats
, on the Rockcliffe Parkway
next to the Canada Aviation and Space Museum (both in Ottawa), in Jacques Cartier Park
on Rue Laurier
, and a site on Rue Montcalm (both in the neighbouring city of Gatineau
).
In 2006, Conservative
cabinet minister
and MP
for Pontiac
(which includes the eastern tip of Gatineau) Lawrence Cannon
put his support behind the Jacques Cartier Park option, indicating that it may likely be chosen.
(CMA), Canadian Heritage Information Network
(CHIN), and Virtual Museum of Canada
.
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, on St. Laurent Boulevard, to the south of the Queensway (Highway 417).
Mission
The National Museum of Science and TechnologyScience and technology
Science and technology is a term of art used to encompass the relationship between science and technology. It frequently appears within titles of academic disciplines and government offices.-See also:...
was established in 1967 as a Centennial
Canadian Centennial
The Canadian Centennial was a year long celebration held in 1967 when Canada celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation. Celebrations occurred throughout the year but culminated on Dominion Day, July 1. 1967 coins were different from previous years' issues, with animals on each...
project by the Canadian Government. It was the first museum to employ interactive exhibits. The role of the Museum is to help the public to understand the technological and scientific history of Canada and the ongoing relationships between science, technology and Canadian society.
Governance
The museum is controlled by the Canada Science and Technology Museum Corporation, which is responsible for preserving and protecting Canada's scientific and technical heritage. The Corporation has a staff of about 275 and is responsible for three museums:- Canada Science and Technology Museum
- Canada Agriculture MuseumCanada Agriculture MuseumThe Canada Agriculture Museum in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, houses a modern working farm. Its purpose is to illustrate how advances in farming science and technology have transformed the lives of Canadians...
- Canada Aviation and Space Museum
Activities
The Canada Science and Technology Museum fulfills its mission through its collection, permanent, temporary and traveling exhibits, special events, school programs, workshops and demonstrations, publications, loans, conferences and lectures, expert advice, and joint action with other museums and organizations with similar goals and interests.The subject areas covered by the collections and curatorial staff include: communications; domestic technology
Domestic technology
Domestic technology is the incorporation of applied science into the home. There are many aspects of domestic technology. On one level, there are home appliances, home automation and other devices commonly used in the home, such as clothes dryers and washing machines. These things are itemized...
, energy, forestry, graphic arts, land transportation, marine transportation, mining, and physical sciences & space. The museum's collections include more than 40,000 artifacts, 60,000 pieces of trade literature and almost a million photographs. Its library is open to the public and the resources of the Reserve Collections may be used by researchers by prior arrangement.
Permanent exhibits include Innovation Canada about Canadian inventors and inventors, Connexions about the evolution of communications, Digital Networks, Canada in Space, the Locomotive Pavilion and an exhibit about canoes. Highlighted artifacts include the Canadian National Railway
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
s 6400 steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
, ZEEP
ZEEP
The ZEEP reactor was a nuclear reactor built at the Chalk River Laboratories near Chalk River, Ontario, Canada . ZEEP first went critical at 3:45 PM, September 5, 1945...
nuclear reactor from the Atomic Energy of Canada
Atomic Energy of Canada Limited
Atomic Energy of Canada Limited or AECL is a Canadian federal Crown corporation and Canada's largest nuclear science and technology laboratory...
's laboratories at Chalk River, Ontario
Chalk River, Ontario
Chalk River is a Canadian rural community part of the Laurentian Hills municipality in Renfrew County, Ontario. It is located in the Upper Ottawa Valley along Highway 17 , 10 km inland from the Ottawa River, approximately 21 km northwest of Petawawa, and 182 km northwest of Ottawa...
, the Tokamak
Tokamak
A tokamak is a device using a magnetic field to confine a plasma in the shape of a torus . Achieving a stable plasma equilibrium requires magnetic field lines that move around the torus in a helical shape...
de Varennes fusion reactor
Fusion power
Fusion power is the power generated by nuclear fusion processes. In fusion reactions two light atomic nuclei fuse together to form a heavier nucleus . In doing so they release a comparatively large amount of energy arising from the binding energy due to the strong nuclear force which is manifested...
, Black Brant rocket
Black Brant (rocket)
The Black Brant is a Canadian-designed sounding rocket built by Bristol Aerospace in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Over 800 Black Brants of various versions have been launched since they were first produced in 1961, and the type remains one of the most popular sounding rockets ever built...
and launcher, and Titanic model. Furthermore, there are exhibits highlighting research by other Canadian government scientific research organizations
Canadian government scientific research organizations
Expenditures by federal and provincial organizations on scientific research and development accounted for about 10% of all such spending in Canada in 2006...
, and the Canadian Science and Engineering Hall of Fame
Canadian Science and Engineering Hall of Fame
The Canadian Science and Engineering Hall of Fame, located at the at the Canada Science and Technology Museum in Ottawa, Ontario, honours Canadians who have made outstanding contributions to society in science and engineering. It also promotes role models to encourage young Canadians to pursue...
.
The museum sits in Technology Park where visitors can also visit the Cape North
Cape North (Nova Scotia)
Cape North is a headland located at the northeastern extremity of Cape Breton Island in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.Cape North delineates the westernmost boundary of the Cabot Strait, and hence also forms the boundary for the Gulf of St. Lawrence. It is located opposite Cape Ray on the...
(Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
) lighthouse
Lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
which was first used at Cape Race
Cape Race
Cape Race is a point of land located at the southeastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland, Canada. Its name is thought to come from the original Portuguese name for this cape, "Raso", or "bare"...
, Newfoundland in 1856. The CN 6200 steam locomotive
Confederation locomotive
The Confederation type was a large locomotive type with a 4-8-4 wheel arrangement used on Canadian railroads. Most were built by the Montreal Locomotive Works in Montreal, Quebec, and the Canadian Locomotive Works in Kingston, Ontario, for the Canadian National Railway . The "Confederation"...
, a Convair Atlas rocket, an oil well
Oil well
An oil well is a general term for any boring through the earth's surface that is designed to find and acquire petroleum oil hydrocarbons. Usually some natural gas is produced along with the oil. A well that is designed to produce mainly or only gas may be termed a gas well.-History:The earliest...
pumpjack
Pumpjack
A pumpjack is the overground drive for a reciprocating piston pump in an oil well....
, and the Helen Sawyer Hogg
Helen Sawyer Hogg
Helen Battles Sawyer Hogg, CC was a prolific astronomer noted for her research into globular clusters...
Observatory with the 15 in (38.1 cm) refracting telescope
Refracting telescope
A refracting or refractor telescope is a type of optical telescope that uses a lens as its objective to form an image . The refracting telescope design was originally used in spy glasses and astronomical telescopes but is also used for long focus camera lenses...
originally from the Dominion Observatory
Dominion Observatory
The Dominion Observatory was an astronomical observatory in Ottawa, Canada that operated from 1902 to 1970. The Observatory was also an institution within the Canadian Federal Government. The observatory grew out of the Department of the Interior's need for the precise coordinates and timekeeping...
.
Allow at least 2 hours for a visit. Exhibits are bilingual (French and English).
New location
In 2001, the museum began looking for a new location to move to, citing a lack of space and accessibility. The desire for more scenic surroundings was also a factor, as the museum is currently surrounded mostly by warehouses and strip mallStrip mall
A strip mall is an open-area shopping center where the stores are arranged in a row, with a sidewalk in front. Strip malls are typically developed as a unit and have large parking lots in front...
s. Four locations are being considered: the western section of LeBreton Flats
Lebreton Flats
LeBreton Flats is a neighbourhood in Ottawa, Canada. It lies to the west of Centretown neighbourhood, and to the north of Centretown West with "Nanny Goat Hill" as the dividing line...
, on the Rockcliffe Parkway
Rockcliffe Parkway
The Rockcliffe Parkway is a parkway in Ottawa, Canada.The parkway begins at the end of Sussex Drive and follows the Ottawa River, through Rockcliffe Park and past the Canada Aviation Museum. About 200 m after passing Lower Duck Island, it turns towards the south, passing over Regional Road 174. It...
next to the Canada Aviation and Space Museum (both in Ottawa), in Jacques Cartier Park
Jacques Cartier Park
Jacques Cartier Park is a park in Gatineau, Quebec, across the river from the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa. It is named for French explorer Jacques Cartier, who arrived at the mouth of the Ottawa River while he was looking for the Northwest Passage. The National Capital Commission uses the...
on Rue Laurier
Rue Laurier
Rue Laurier is a main street located in the heart of the City of Gatineau, Quebec. It starts at Rue Eddy and ends at Rue Dussault....
, and a site on Rue Montcalm (both in the neighbouring city of Gatineau
Gatineau
Gatineau is a city in western Quebec, Canada. It is the fourth largest city in the province. It is located on the northern banks of the Ottawa River, immediately across from Ottawa, Ontario, and together they form Canada's National Capital Region. Ottawa and Gatineau comprise a single Census...
).
In 2006, Conservative
Conservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
cabinet minister
Minister (government)
A minister is a politician who holds significant public office in a national or regional government. Senior ministers are members of the cabinet....
and MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Pontiac
Pontiac (electoral district)
Pontiac is a federal electoral district in south-western Quebec, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1949 and since 1968....
(which includes the eastern tip of Gatineau) Lawrence Cannon
Lawrence Cannon
Lawrence Cannon, PC is a Canadian politician from Quebec and Prime Minister Stephen Harper's former Quebec lieutenant. On October 30, 2008 he was sworn in as Minister of Foreign Affairs...
put his support behind the Jacques Cartier Park option, indicating that it may likely be chosen.
Affiliations
The Museum is affiliated with: Canadian Museums AssociationCanadian Museums Association
The Canadian Museums Association is a national organization for the promotion of museums in Canada.The Canadian Museums Association is the national organization for the advancement of the Canadian museum sector, representing Canadian museum professionals both within Canada and internationally. The...
(CMA), Canadian Heritage Information Network
Canadian Heritage Information Network
The Canadian Heritage Information Network is a Canadian government-supported organization that provides a networked interface to Canada's heritage, largely through the World Wide Web. It aims to give access to Canada's heritage for both Canadians and a worldwide audience, by supporting the...
(CHIN), and Virtual Museum of Canada
Virtual Museum of Canada
The Virtual Museum of Canada is Canada's national virtual museum. With a directory of over 3,000 Canadian heritage institutions and a database of over 600 virtual exhibits, the VMC brings together Canada's museums regardless of size or geographical location.The VMC includes virtual exhibits,...
.
See also
- Canadian university scientific research organizationsCanadian university scientific research organizationsExpenditures by Canadian universities on scientific research and development accounted for about 40% of all spending on scientific research and development in Canada in 2006....
- Canadian industrial research and development organizationsCanadian industrial research and development organizationsExpenditures by Canadian corporations on research and development accounted for about 50% of all spending on scientific research and development in Canada in 2007....
- Technological and industrial history of Canada
- Natural scientific research in Canada
- Invention in CanadaInvention in CanadaThis article outlines the history of Canadian technological invention. Technologies chosen for treatment here include, in rough order, transportation, communication, energy, materials, industry, public works, public services , domestic/consumer and defence technologies.The terms chosen for the...