Thenational museums of Canada (French:musées nationaux du Canada) are the ninemuseums inCanada designated under the federalMuseums Act and operated by theGovernment of Canada. The national museums are responsible for "preserving and promoting the heritage of Canada and all its peoples" and serving as "a source of inspiration, research, learning and entertainment... inboth official languages."[1]
There are many other museums owned and operated by the Canadian federal government that are not considered national museums. TheBank of Canada Museum in Ottawa,Correctional Service of Canada Museum in Kingston, and theNational Historic Sites of Canada operated byParks Canada across the country are all examples of museums administered by federal agencies but outside the national museums system.
The concept of a "National Museum" in Canada had its beginnings on 16 May 1856, when the government of theProvince of Canada authorized theGeological Survey of Canada to establish a Geological Museum inMontreal (then, the capital of the province). Once moved to Ottawa, the museum's scope gradually expanded; the National Museum of Canada was officially created from the Museum Branch of the federal Department of Mines on 5 January 1927.
The National Museums of Canada Corporation (NMC) (French:Société des musées nationaux du Canada) was created in 1967. It included the National Gallery of Canada Corporation, the Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation, the Canadian Museum of Nature Corporation, and the National Museum of Science and Technology Corporation (now the Canada Science and Technology Museum Corporation). The Canadian Conservation Institute, the Museum Assistance Program, The National Museum Library, and other miscellaneous museum and administrative offices were also under the NMC umbrella. The corporation was formalized under The National Museums Act which took effect on 1 April 1968. The NMC operated until 1988.[2]
There are currently nine museums included in the national museums system.[3] Of these nine, seven are located in theNational Capital Region, one inWestern Canada, and one inAtlantic Canada. Four of the museums are incorporated as independentCrown corporations that report toParliament through theMinister of Canadian Heritage. The Canadian Museum of History Corporation manages theCanadian War Museum andCanadian Museum of History and a sixth Crown corporation,Ingenium, manages the three museums focused on applied sciences.
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