The Research and Collections Branch focuses on developmental research, research applied to CMC's programmes, collections development, and outreach activities. Its role in pursuing the strategic direction of the CMC is to ensure that the Museum's research strengths are maintained and that they evolve to meet the changing needs of its communities.
The CMC's areas of curatorial excellence are archaeology (particularly of North America), ethnology (with particular reference to the First Peoples of northern North America), folklore, and Canadian history.
In the area of Native culture the Research Branch will continue to lead in the evolution of the CMC's partnership with the First Peoples. More and more the CMC will strengthen its capabilities in conducting research and curating artifacts, and will become more of a forum for Native activities.
The Research Branch also plays a key role in serving the needs of broader publics through public programmes, publications and exhibitions. In the coming years the Branch will place a higher emphasis on producing more popular products and services from its research activities.
(left) CMC's Curator of the East European Program, a designer,
exhibition coordinator, and public programs coordinator prepare
the exhibition Art and Ethnicity: The Ukrainian Tradition in Canada.
(right) One of the Museum's historians, assisted by a volunteer, arranges
the working tools in the cordwainer's house in the Canada Hall.
Extracts from the Research Policy
The CMC is heir to a tradition of research and collecting that extends back to the Geological Survey of Canada, from which the CMC evolved. Researchers who have been associated with the Museum since that time - Dawson, Sapir, Jenness, Barbeau, and others - gave the Museum an international reputation, made enduring contributions to Canadian studies and assured a proud place for the Museum in the development of Canadian anthropology, archaeology, folk culture studies, and history.
A major museum such as the CMC is by definition a centre of learning. The Museum has an obligation to undertake research and to stimulate research on its own collection and relevant to its purposes. The museum should also encourage the dissemination of research results through exhibits, publications, electronic media, lectures and other activities.
The Role of Research
The legislative mandate of the CMC explicitly includes research as an activity. Research is an integral base for all other museum activities.
...In the Generation of Knowledge
Research programmes of the CMC seek to add to the level of knowledge relating to human history with special, but not exclusive, reference to that of Canada. Programs are designed to analyse the regional and cultural entities that make up our heritage, and to investigate the processes that have served to define the Canadian cultural experience. These activities are the responsibility of the staff of researchers who possess a wide variety of individual expertise recognized inside and outside the Museum.
...In Museum Collection
Research is necessary for collection acquisition, because the process defines requirements for collections, and authenticates artifacts and associated information that are collected. Research is necessary for the documentation of each collection, which is essential to make the collection meaningful. Research is necessary for the interpretation of each collection, in that the results render explicit the meaning of what is not obvious in the nature of any artifact or collection of artifacts and contextual data.
...In Public Programming
Public programming in the Museum performs that important part of the purpose identified in the Museums Act as the dissemination of knowledge. The knowledge disseminated by public programming using various media is based upon results of research. Furthermore, research validates public programming through the clients' assurance of the expertise of the Museum's research staff.
The Nature of Research in CMC
Research may include field work, archival and library research, laboratory research, and research on collections.
The CMC encourages all types of research in the context of the disciplines relevant to its mandate. That includes the development of theory as well as those activities to develop collections and public programming objectives, because all are inseparably related.
The CMC strives to maintain a level of excellence in existing areas of research activity, as well as leading in the development of new areas of research activity within its mandate.
As a national institution, the CMC strives to provide a Canadian contribution to the international world of learning. Its researchers are expected to provide knowledge not only about Canada, but also on subjects of international significance.
