I’ll be starting the AMA at 1 p.m. (EST), answering until about 4 p.m. (EST). If any questions come in after this, I will do my best to answer them the next day.
I’m Michel Labrecque, a curator at the Canada Science and Technology Museum. I have over 25 years of experience in Museum-based work and have developed many subject based educational materials and programs for a broad range of audiences. I primarily do research for exhibitions and develop the museum’s collection of the physical sciences, medicine and communications artifacts.
The Canada Science and Technology Museum was created in 1967 to celebrate Canada’s past and preserve our scientific and technological heritage. We have a large collection of artifacts and archival documents which I am particularly passionate about. This includes artifacts and photographs from various momentous Canadian efforts like the building of the Trans-Canada highway linking the East and West coasts, expeditions through the Arctic and Antarctic, and everything in between. I have many stories to share about not only these objects we collect, but also how we acquire them and the unique stories behind each one. AMA!
Check out this website to find some of the artifacts we collect: http://techno-science.ca/en/collection-research.php
UPDATE: It's just after 4pm, so I'm signing off now - thanks everyone for the great questions, you really got me thinking on some of them! I'll come back in the next couple of days to see if there are any more questions, and do my best to answer them. Thanks again!
How was the creation of the museum informed by the social and political moment of the late 1960's? Was is informed by a growing sense of a distinct Canadian national identity? A desire to link the past ("history" in a broad sense) and the future ("technology" in a broad sense) to create a national narrative that was separate from the United States?
A little googling tells me that the museum is set to reopen in 2017, fifty years after its initial opening; how will the changing social and political frameworks of Canadian identity inform the museum's historical and educational project going forward?
Hi Michel, thanks for doing this! 3 questions for you!
What's the weirdest artifact in your collection?
What is the best story you have of someone "happening upon" an artifact? Like finding gold coins in their backyard or something.
You mention you are passionate about archival documents. What's your favorite one, or the most amusing?
Cool! Care to expand on the Canadian Expeditions through the Arctic? Are there any pictures you might be able to upload?
Hi Michel. Can you please speak about what you are doing while the museum is under renovation. I got a notice to renew and this was the museum we visited the most due to location and the fun things for my 3 year old. Is there any talk of running the trains outside or any other activities?
What object or discovery do you think is Canada's greatest contribution to the world in terms of Science & Technology?
How do you feel about the location and size of the museum? Where would you like to see it?
What was your favorite exhibit, past, present, or future?
What do you feel your role is as a public intellectual and a presenter of history to the public is?
What is the usual route that an object takes to end up in your collection? Are they mostly donated, bought, or provided by other means?
When is the museum going to reopen? Really? We know the time line but are they actually on track?
Also how did they get the trains into the basement of the museum?
Oh darn, I'm late! I'll throw out a question anyways: Does the museum do any work in the area of how technology (such as the car, tractor, farming implements) replaced or worked in tandem with horses in Canada?
What is your favorite museum to visit aside from your own? And why, of course!