The Canadian Children's Museum (CCM) is a

children's museum Children's museums are institutions that provide exhibits and programs to stimulate informal learning experiences for children. In contrast with traditional museums that typically have a hands-off policy regarding exhibits, children's museums fea ...

and exhibition operated by the

Canadian Museum of History The Canadian Museum of History (french: Musée canadien de l’histoire) is a national museum on anthropology, Canadian history, cultural studies, and ethnology in Gatineau, Quebec, Canada. The purpose of the museum is to promote the heritage ...

in Gatineau,

Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...

, Canada. The CCM is among the most popular

attractions Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tours. The World Tourism Organization defines tourism m ...

in the country, attracting about half a million visitors each year. It is also Canada's largest exhibition centre () designed specifically for children up to age 14 and their adult companions. Most of the space is devoted to the museum's permanent exhibition ''The Great Adventure''. The CCM also presents a changing line-up of special exhibitions curated internally or acquired from other institutions.

The Great Adventure

The CCM describes its permanent exhibition ''The Great Adventure'' as an interactive, intercultural journey of discovery. With a museum-issued passport and the aid of imagination, visitors can travel to

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

, Japan,

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...

and other international destinations. This is achieved by travelling through the museum, which is composed of a series of educational and interactive stations meant to engage visitors and appeal to their interest. At the entrance of each station is a stamping machine which one uses to stamp the page in the passport which corresponds to this station, just like when one actually travels. Each of the stations teaches visitors about a different aspect of the world. They can stroll through a market bazaar, trek across a desert, and help unload a cargo ship. They can also step aboard a brightly decorated bus from

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 243 million people, and has the world's second-lar ...

, which is perhaps the museum's most beloved artifact. The CCM says its overall goal is to provide a fun, hands-on environment in which children can learn about the world and its cultural diversity.

Collections

The Children's Museum has a permanent collection of more than 15,000 items for use in its exhibitions and programs. The items include artifacts, toys, games, clothing, art, photographs and other objects from around the world that relate to the lives of children, past and present.

Affiliations

The CCM is a member of the international Association of Children's Museums, and the only Canadian member of the Youth Museums Exhibit Collaborative.

History

The Children's Museum opened in 1989 when the Canadian Museum of History (then known as the Canadian Museum of Civilization) moved into its current building in Gatineau. The Canadian Museum of History has expanded the exhibition twice since its opening, first in 1994 and again in 2007. At the end of July 2007, it welcomed its eight-millionth visitor. In September 2022, the museum opened a one-year exhibition titled, "From Pepinot to PAW Patrol - Television of Our Childhoods," which explores 70 years of television programming for children. It features approximately 100 shows in English, French, and Indigenous languages. The exhibition was developed in collaboration with CBC/Radio-Canada and with the participation of

Télé-Québec The Société de télédiffusion du Québec (; en, Quebec Television Broadcasting Corporation), branded as Télé-Québec (), is a Canadian French-language public educational television network in the province of Quebec. It is a provincial Cro ...

References

External links

* {{authority control National museums of Canada Museums in Gatineau Children's museums in Canada

Children's_Museum Children's museums are institutions that provide exhibits and programs to stimulate informal learning experiences for children. In contrast with traditional museums that typically have a hands-off policy regarding exhibits, children's museums fea ...