Canadian Museums Association facts for kids
 |
|
| Abbreviation | CMA |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1947 |
| Type | Non-profit association |
| Legal status | Active |
| Purpose | The advancement of the Canadian museum sector |
| Headquarters | Ottawa, Ontario Canada |
| Location |
|
|
Region served
|
National |
|
Membership
|
2000 organizations |
|
Official language
|
English & French |
| Affiliations | CHIN, OMMC and VMC. |
|
Staff
|
20–25 |
The Canadian Museums Association (CMA) is a national group in Canada. It helps promote museums across the country. It also supports people who work in museums, both in Canada and around the world.
The CMA helps nearly 2,000 members. These members include big national museums, art galleries, science centres, aquariums, zoos, and historic sites. They all work to protect and share Canada's history and culture with everyone.
Contents
History of the CMA
Early Ideas for a Museum Group
In 1932, a British museum expert visited Canada. He thought Canadian museums needed a lot of improvement. People started talking about forming a group for museums in the 1930s. However, this idea was put on hold because of the Second World War.
Starting the Association in 1947
After the war, the idea of a museum association became popular again. In 1946, Harry O. McCurry from the National Gallery of Canada wrote a letter. He said that a Canadian Museums Association was very important. He believed Canada needed its own group to deal with its unique museum challenges.
A small group of people from 13 museums met in Quebec City in 1947. They officially created the Canadian Museums Association on September 10, 1947.
Founding Members
Some of the people who helped start the CMA were:
- F.J. Alcock from the National Museum of Canada
- E.C. Cross from the Royal Ontario Museum
- Donald K. Crowdis from the Provincial Museum of Nova Scotia
- H.O. McCurry from the National Gallery of Canada
- Alice Johannsen Turnham from McGill University Museums
Working with Indigenous Peoples
In 1988, there was an exhibition called The Spirit Sings. This led to important discussions about how museums work with Indigenous peoples. It also raised questions about access to museum collections and how artifacts are shown.
In 1992, the CMA worked with the Assembly of First Nations. They published a report called Turning The Page. This report gave ideas on how to return human remains and important cultural objects to Indigenous communities.
Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action
In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission asked the CMA to help with reconciliation.
- Call to Action #67 asked the government to give money to the CMA. This money would help the CMA review museum rules. They would check if museums follow the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).
- Call to Action #68 asked the government and CMA to create a special funding program. This program would support projects about reconciliation for Canada's 150th anniversary in 2017.
In 2018, the CMA received money to create a report. This report was about how to use UNDRIP in Canadian museums. In 2022, the CMA published its report, Moved to Action: Activating UNDRIP in Canadian Museums.
What the CMA Does
The CMA is a non-profit group. Its main goal is to improve public museum services in Canada. It helps museums run better and encourages museum workers to keep learning and improving their skills. The CMA is also a registered charity.
How the CMA is Run
The CMA is led by a Board of Directors. These directors are elected. The CMA also has a team in Ottawa that helps with daily operations.
The current Executive Director of the CMA is Janis Kahentóktha Monture.
Services for Members
The CMA offers many services to its members:
- Magazine: They publish a magazine called Muse six times a year. It's available in both English and French.
- Support: They speak up for museums on important public issues.
- Insurance: They offer an insurance program for museums.
- Awards: They give out awards to recognize great work in the museum field.
- Young Canada Works: Since 1996, the CMA helps run a program called Young Canada Works. This program provides money for museums to hire students and interns. This helps young people gain experience in heritage jobs.
- Conferences: The CMA hosts big national conferences each year in different cities across Canada. They also hold special conferences on specific museum topics.
Working with Others
The CMA works with many other groups related to arts and heritage in Canada.
- They have formal partnerships with groups like ICOM Canada.
- They also work informally with provincial and territorial museum associations across Canada.
See also
In Spanish: Asociación de Museos Canadienses para niños
