The new national Canadian War Museum (CWM) is set to open in Ottawa on 8 May – the 60th anniversary of VE Day.
Occupying an 18.5-acre site overlooking Parliament Hill, the CAN$136m (US$110m, £58m, 85m euros) museum will boast 5,750sq m (62,000q ft) of permanent exhibition space and 700sq m (7,500sq ft) of special exhibition space.
The museum has been funded by CAN$113.5m from the Federal Government, CAN$7.5m from the Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation – the CWM's parent organisation – and a further CAN$15m raised from the private sector and the general public.
The building was designed by Moriyama & Teshima Architects of Toronto and Griffiths Rankin Cook of Ottawa, while the exhibitions have been created by Haley Sharpe Design of Leicester, UK and Origin Studios of Ottawa.
The permanent exhibition covers 1,000 years of Canada’s military history through the themes geography, politics, brutality and survival.
The CWM is expected to welcome around 400,000 visitors per year and also features a café, classrooms and 236-seat theatre. Details: www.warmuseum.ca
