Snapshots of Canada

Canada’s triumphs, failures and sacrifices are on display at the New Brunswick Museum in a new travelling exhibition from the Canadian Museum of History and Canada’s History Society. Showcasing unforgettable images and thought-provoking texts, Snapshots of Canada will be presented from February 6 until May 17, 2020.

From the trial of Métis leader Louis Riel to Paul Henderson’s winning goal in the 1972 Summit Series, and from the deportation of Japanese-Canadians after the Second World War to the standoff at Oka, the exhibition pairs 50 powerful photographs with texts by well-known Canadian historians, authors and journalists.

“They say a picture says a thousand words, with this exhibition, this is no exception, with each photo selected, they can start many interesting discussions. We learn a lot about the Canadian social and political history. It piques the curiosity to learn more on those events. It reveals also the importance of archival photograph collections in our modern history”, says Dominique Gélinas, Head of Exhibitions and Visitor Experience at the New Brunswick Museum.

“The Canadian Museum of History is delighted to share Snapshots of Canada with the people of New Brunswick,” said Mark O’Neill, President and CEO of the Canadian Museum of History. “The exhibition invites visitors to relive both iconic and lesser-known moments that have shaped Canada’s history.”

The photographs, ranging from depictions of high drama to simple joy, were drawn from 100 Photos That Changed Canada (2009) and 100 Days That Changed Canada (2011), published by Canada’s History and HarperCollins Canada. The images and accompanying text explore Canada from four perspectives: Building a Country, Living Together, Seeking Justice and Celebrating Culture. Contributors include literary non-fiction writer Charlotte Gray, best-selling novelist Lawrence Hill, historian Desmond Morton, archivist Jim Burant, award-winning military historian Tim Cook, and journalist Peter Mansbridge.

“We selected the photos for their emotional impact, their aesthetic appeal, their uniqueness, and the significance of the subject they depict,” said Mark Reid, Editor-in-Chief of Canada’s History Society and the editor of the two bestselling books that inspired the exhibition. “But most of all, we chose them for the way they reflect who we were, who we are today, and who we can aspire to become as Canadians.”

Other emblematic events covered in the exhibition include the fight for women’s rights, the residential school system, the election of the Parti Québécois and the second sovereignty referendum, the Winnipeg General Strike, the legalization of same-sex marriage and Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope.

Snapshots of Canada is being presented at the New Brunswick Museum Exhibition Centre from February 6 to May 17, 2020.

This travelling exhibition was developed by the Canadian Museum of History in partnership with Canada’s History Society. It is an expanded version of the Snapshots of Canada outdoor exhibition presented at the Canadian Museum of History, Gatineau, Quebec, from May 17 to October 2, 2017.