Canada's Battle of the Museums?
Canada has a rich and distinguished history in aviation, it was one of the leading countries in developing the then ambiguous and dangerous aviation industry and contributed in giving the world such iconic planes as the famous De Havilland range of aircraft, and played a major role in the development of aircraft through the Second World War and into the 1960’s.
In 1928 the pioneering de Havilland Aircraft Company, based in England, opened a subsidiary in Canada to produce Moth planes to train airmen and develop the capacities of the Royal Canadian Air Force. The company later developed its own homegrown aircraft. Throughout the heady days of the 1920s, 30s and 40s, when air travel between North America and the UK was in its infancy, Canada played a significant role in the provision of refueling stops for planes and became a major travel hub, with Vancouver and Toronto remaining regional flight hubs to this day.
The country has an aviation history to be proud of then, and this history is captured in a range of exhibits and interactive displays featured by two of Canada’s leading museums: Canadian Air and Space Museum and the Canada Aviation Museum. They will soon lock horns in battle, however, as the Canada Aviation Museum is planning to change its name later in the year to the none-too-subtle Canadian Aviation and Space Museum, following a $7 million dollar expansion and upgrade.
The name change was always part of the upgrade and expansion plans, the 50-year-old museum has long been regarded as one of the leading aviation museums in the world, and certainly in Canada. It is the result of an amalgamation of three separate institutions; the National Aviation Museum, Canadian War Museum and RCAF Museum, these collections focused respectively on early bush flying, military aircraft and the planes developed for the country’s air force.
It has an immense collection of aircraft then, and even features World War Two flight simulators.
The Canadian Air and Space Museum is a young upstart, intent on challenging the 50-year-old veteran to battle. Launched in just 1997, this non-profit organization is located in the original building used by the de Havilland Canada Corporation, and exhibits an impressive array of aircraft from Canada’s own Avro Arrow to the Avro Lancaster. Originally the Toronto Aerospace Museum, it changed its name in 2009 to the current one.
The name change by the older, more established Canada Aviation Museum, therefore, seems a bit of a reactionary move.
In actually fact, however, there is little rivalry between the two institutions, which are located in separate cities and therefore do not compete for visitors.
"It's a fairly big market," Paul Abbot, curator of the Canadian Air and Space Museum said. "I don't see where there would be a great conflict between the two," he added, in reference to the name change by the Canadian Aviation Museum.
Although there is certainly a friendly rivalry between museums, Abbot insisted that the majority of activities are focused on building relationships between museums and sharing resources.
"Museums in Canada are all about relationships and working with each other," he told Canada news media.
The name change will reflect an increase in confusion on the part of teachers, tourists and aviation enthusiasts then, but nothing more.
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Canada's Battle of the Museums?
Canada is set to have two air and space museums as the long-established Canada Aviation Museum expands its interests into the realm of space, and changes its name to one which seems to directly challenge another aviation museum, but closer examination suggests something else.
Canada has a rich and distinguished history in aviation, it was one of the leading countries in developing the then ambiguous and dangerous aviation industry and contributed in giving the world such iconic planes as the famous De Havilland range of aircraft, and played a major role in the development of aircraft through the Second World War and into the 1960’s. Read more
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