The Indigenous Peoples Museum aims to be a tool for reconciliation / Photo: Fort Edmonton Park
In the summer, Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited the Indigenous Peoples Experience at living history museum Fort Edmonton Park in Edmonton, Canada. Opened in 2021, this immersive exhibit explores the history and culture of Canada’s Indigenous peoples via stories, artworks, artefacts and music. Crucially, it tells their story in their voice - the information has been collected via interviews with elders and community members, and all of the staff working in the space are Indigenous.
On p20 we interview Evert Poor, Indigenous narratives supervisor at Fort Edmonton Park, who showed Trudeau around. Poor explains that the museum is about far more than just giving visitors a memorable experience – it’s a space for visitors to speak to Indigenous people and ask difficult questions. It addresses the colonial narrative that infers that history didn’t start until the Europeans arrived in North America, and, crucially, it aims to become a tool for reconciliation. And for Poor, it’s highly personal – Poor’s mother grew up in one of Canada’s notorious residential schools, and he has made it his mission to tell her story.
Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 calls to action included several actions for museums – demonstrating the potential of our industry to create real change.
Museums and attractions are powerful tools for change because they can connect us emotionally to history and culture in a unique way. They can build bridges and foster unity, make us think and question ourselves, and they reach out to large audiences.
This issue is full of examples of the impact our industry has on the world – we interview Fort Worth Zoo co-chair Ramona Bass on p36, who has transformed what was once a depressing zoo into a place of conservation, education and fun that’s helping to protect future species. Es Devlin, featured on p12 uses her profile to convey her message about climate change. And Gordon Hartland, founder of Morgan’s Wonderland, speaks on p10 about how launching a theme park designed with visitors with special needs in mind has helped change the conversation around inclusion and seen real advances.
This industry provides fun and entertainment, but so much more. It has the potential to change attitudes and improve lives, and that’s something we’ve never needed more.
Magali Robathan, editor
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2022 issue 4
Letters: Write to reply
Gordon Hartman, dad and founder of Morgan’s Wonderland on inclusion-centric thinking and action and Merlin Entertainments' Fiona Eastwood on inclusion and diversity...
People: Es Devlin
Known for her large scale public art installations, the designer and stage director has been awarded a CBE
People: Evert Poor
On what the Canadian Prime Minister’s visit meant for the Indigenous Peoples Experience
Interview: Ramona Bass
Half way thought a $130m masterplan and with conservation projects in 30 countries, Fort Worth Zoo is thinking big, its co-chair tells Magali Robathan
Research: Tough times
The cost of living crisis is already seeing the public cut its leisure spend, but these steps will help attractions keep visitors coming, says Jon Young
Innovation: Ars Electronica
Linz in Austria has reinvented itself as a city of innovation, with the future facing Ars Electronica Center at its heart
Tech: Emotional reward
Scientists have found a way to tweak video game difficulty according to player emotion, and it has huge potential for visitor attractions
Profile: Margaret Kerrison
The former Disney Imagineer is determined to share what she’s learned about creating absorbing worlds for visitors
Preview: Bird Paradise
Singapore is bringing its nature attractions together to help drive conservation and improve the visitor experience
Interview: Graham MacVoy
How the team behind Boomtown Festival harnessed their brand of creativity to build a unique permanent attraction
Scientific research: Under the sea
A new Red Sea scientific research centre and marine life attraction will offer visitors AR experiences, underwater walks, submarine dives and more
Tech: Getting personal
These operators are getting clever with technology, using digital companions to personalise the guest experience, creating opportunities for deeper connections
The Indigenous Peoples Museum aims to be a tool for reconciliation / Photo: Fort Edmonton Park
In the summer, Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited the Indigenous Peoples Experience at living history museum Fort Edmonton Park in Edmonton, Canada. Opened in 2021, this immersive exhibit explores the history and culture of Canada’s Indigenous peoples via stories, artworks, artefacts and music. Crucially, it tells their story in their voice - the information has been collected via interviews with elders and community members, and all of the staff working in the space are Indigenous.
On p20 we interview Evert Poor, Indigenous narratives supervisor at Fort Edmonton Park, who showed Trudeau around. Poor explains that the museum is about far more than just giving visitors a memorable experience – it’s a space for visitors to speak to Indigenous people and ask difficult questions. It addresses the colonial narrative that infers that history didn’t start until the Europeans arrived in North America, and, crucially, it aims to become a tool for reconciliation. And for Poor, it’s highly personal – Poor’s mother grew up in one of Canada’s notorious residential schools, and he has made it his mission to tell her story.
Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 calls to action included several actions for museums – demonstrating the potential of our industry to create real change.
Museums and attractions are powerful tools for change because they can connect us emotionally to history and culture in a unique way. They can build bridges and foster unity, make us think and question ourselves, and they reach out to large audiences.
This issue is full of examples of the impact our industry has on the world – we interview Fort Worth Zoo co-chair Ramona Bass on p36, who has transformed what was once a depressing zoo into a place of conservation, education and fun that’s helping to protect future species. Es Devlin, featured on p12 uses her profile to convey her message about climate change. And Gordon Hartland, founder of Morgan’s Wonderland, speaks on p10 about how launching a theme park designed with visitors with special needs in mind has helped change the conversation around inclusion and seen real advances.
This industry provides fun and entertainment, but so much more. It has the potential to change attitudes and improve lives, and that’s something we’ve never needed more.
Magali Robathan, editor
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2022 issue 4
Letters: Write to reply
Gordon Hartman, dad and founder of Morgan’s Wonderland on inclusion-centric thinking and action and Merlin Entertainments' Fiona Eastwood on inclusion and diversity...
People: Es Devlin
Known for her large scale public art installations, the designer and stage director has been awarded a CBE
People: Evert Poor
On what the Canadian Prime Minister’s visit meant for the Indigenous Peoples Experience
Interview: Ramona Bass
Half way thought a $130m masterplan and with conservation projects in 30 countries, Fort Worth Zoo is thinking big, its co-chair tells Magali Robathan
Research: Tough times
The cost of living crisis is already seeing the public cut its leisure spend, but these steps will help attractions keep visitors coming, says Jon Young
Innovation: Ars Electronica
Linz in Austria has reinvented itself as a city of innovation, with the future facing Ars Electronica Center at its heart
Tech: Emotional reward
Scientists have found a way to tweak video game difficulty according to player emotion, and it has huge potential for visitor attractions
Profile: Margaret Kerrison
The former Disney Imagineer is determined to share what she’s learned about creating absorbing worlds for visitors
Preview: Bird Paradise
Singapore is bringing its nature attractions together to help drive conservation and improve the visitor experience
Interview: Graham MacVoy
How the team behind Boomtown Festival harnessed their brand of creativity to build a unique permanent attraction
Scientific research: Under the sea
A new Red Sea scientific research centre and marine life attraction will offer visitors AR experiences, underwater walks, submarine dives and more
Tech: Getting personal
These operators are getting clever with technology, using digital companions to personalise the guest experience, creating opportunities for deeper connections
London Museum will open four new food and drink destinations when it launches its new home
at Smithfield on 28 November, making hospitality a central part of the visitor experience at one
of the capital's biggest cultural openings of the year.
OMA has completed a major transformation of New York's New Museum, creating a larger
cultural campus that combines expanded exhibition spaces with learning, performance,
hospitality and public programming.
A US$50 million (£44.2 million, €51.2 million) transformation of Chicago's historic McCormick
Mansion has created a new destination that combines live magic, immersive theatre, dining and
private membership under one roof.
The Montana Historical Society has officially celebrated the opening of its new Montana
Heritage
Center, a US$107 million (£79 million, €92 million) destination that combines immersive
storytelling with cutting-edge audiovisual technology to bring the sta
San Antonio Zoo has reported a US$283 million economic impact for 2025, following a decade-
long transformation programme that has seen almost US$200 million invested into the Texas
attraction.
Plans for the AU$180 million redevelopment of Reef HQ Aquarium in Townsville, Australia, are
progressing, with the project set to transform the attraction into a global centre for reef
education and conservation.
Abu Dhabi-based investment firm Mubadala Capital has made a binding, fully financed
€1 billion
offer to acquire Pierre and Vacances SA, the European holiday resort operator behind the
continental European Center Parcs business.
Disney has reaffirmed its commitment to investing US$30 billion in its US parks and cruise
business by 2033, using new America250 celebrations to underline the role its attractions play
in supporting jobs, tourism and economic growth.
Expo 2030 Riyadh is being planned as a permanent visitor destination, with organisers
confirming the six-million-square-metre site will become a Global Village after the event closes.
The owner of one of Australia's best-known waterparks has acquired a major competitor,
creating a new attractions business spanning two of the country's largest visitor destinations.
