Canadian Museum of Nature - Looking forward to May 22, 2010

This post was started in November and I figured I should finally finish it.

My best friend and I decided on a whim to visit the Canadian Museum of Nature on the 18th of November. The Museum is currently in the last leg of a huge building wide renovation and has opened one wing on each floor for visitors during the renovation.

We only had an hour to burn and what we were able to see in that one hour definitely left us wanting more. The elevator was down for the day so admission was a donation amount of your choice.

There was a security guard following us around so I was really only able to snap the picture below.


The most awe inspiring room of the rooms we saw was the Talisman Energy Fossil Gallery. I got shivers when we first walked into this room.

Photo courtesy of the Canadian Museum of Nature

What little bit we saw of the Museum left us both wanting more and we can't wait for the rest of the Museum to be completed. If what we saw was any indication, the Canadian Museum of Nature will soon be at the forefront of the top national museums in North America.

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The Grand Reopening is scheduled for May 22, 2010.

Visit the Museum of Nature online at: www.nature.ca

Tombs of Eternity: The Afterlife in Ancient Egypt

Canadian Museum of Civilizations
2008-2009: Special Exhibitions Gallery A

"FOR ANCIENT EGYPTIANS, DEATH WAS NOT THE END OF LIFE,
BUT THE BEGINNING OF A NEW EXISTENCE."

The Canadian Museum of Civilization's museum curator, Dr. Matthew Betts and his team have done an amazing job illustrating the scientific and cultural importance of the funerary process in ancient Egypt.

Many day-to-day items such as jewelry, clothing, furniture and toys are on display. The one common thread between them all is that they are, or should I say, were used as part of the Egyptian funerary rites.

The exhibit also discusses the science behind mummification - explaining what processes were undertaken; why wrapping individual fingers and toes was so important; how organs were removed and how they were kept intact; and so much more.

The layout of the exhibit was well thought out as we walked from room to room until in the final room, we came across a burial room filled with sarcophagi. I won't give any more details here because going in without any preconceived notions will greatly enhance the experience.

I thoroughly enjoyed the exhibit with one exception, that caused my friends and I some grief - there were just too many visitors allowed in the exhibit at one time. We constantly felt herded through each room as everyone wanted to see everything but by the same token not take the time to actually see anything as people rarely stopped to read anything. If we did stop to read something, we felt guilty that we were holding everyone up.

If you have the opportunity to spend the afternoon at the museum, try to see the exhibit and the IMAX film. There are also special events that will take place over the course of the exhibit's run. Check the CMC website for more information.

The micro-site that the Canadian Museum of Civilization created for the exhibit is great. Make sure to play Mummy Jeopardy before you go.

Exhibit Information
Dates: December 19, 2008 to August 16, 2009
Audience: Adult Children Family Youth
Event Details: http://www.civilization.ca/cmc/whats-on/event-detail&EventId=314

Coming Up

A review of the Tombs of Eternity: The Afterlife in Ancient Egypt Exhibit at the Canadian Museum of Civilization.