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.
