Panel of experts meet with museum staff on exhibit concept for The Rooms

The External Advisory Committee and Curatorial Team for the Provincial Museum of Newfoundland and Labrador at The Rooms met again this weekend, March 1-3, to continue a series of meetings for the development of a permanent exhibit concept for The Rooms.

The eight member curatorial team is proposing an innovative exhibit concept that places the diverse cultures of our province in the context of our natural environment, and in relation to the international significance of this place and our history. The External Advisory Committee provided expert advice to ensure the accuracy, authenticity and balance of this approach. This feedback took place at a critical junction in the exhibit planning process as the team�s suggestions and advice will be incorporated into the input provided to the exhibit design team. This marks a great leap forward as the exhibit concept moves from the written word to a 3-D presentation, based on the specimens and artifacts that represent the amazing, diverse human and natural history of Newfoundland and Labrador. This meeting also marked increased representation of the province�s cultural diversity with Maura Hanrahan attending for the first time as a representative of Labrador Metis history and culture.

"The External Advisory Committee has provided invaluable advice as we prepare to move the Provincial Museum as well as the Provincial Archives and the Art Gallery into The Rooms," said Kevin Aylward, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation. "This advisory committee chaired by Dr. Gordon Handcock, an honourary research professor in the Geography Department of Memorial University, offers a wide range of expertise, experience and dedication to this province�s history that is an important part in capturing our history and culture. I look forward to our continued partnership with the advisory committee as the permanent exhibits for the Provincial Museum start to take shape."

Construction of The Rooms is proceeding on time and planning of the exhibits is progressing rapidly. Representatives from the exhibit design team of Lord Cultural Resources and Dunbar Studios, who were awarded the contract for the exhibit design work for the permanent exhibits at The Rooms, attended the meeting.

Lord Cultural Resources has significant national and international experience in the development of exhibit projects of an equivalent scale, budget and complexity. They have worked on the Hong Kong Heritage Centre, Museum of the Filipino People, Peter Rabbits' Garden Traveling Exhibition at the Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Saudi Arabia, Lowry Centre at Falford, England and Expo 2000 in Hanover, Germany. Through Dunbar Studios the project team has significant experience in Newfoundland and Labrador as Dunbar Studios has been responsible for design and project management with the Grenfell Interpretation Centre, Hearts Content Cable Station Provincial Historic Site, Smallwood Interpretation Centre, Argentia Military Base and Atlantic Charter Exhibition with the Museum of the Atlantic Allies, and various projects with the Provincial Museum of Newfoundland and Labrador, including the Mary March Regional Museum, "Atlantic Wings", "Elitaquatiek", and "Routes". Through these projects Dunbar Studios has developed a sensitivity to the cultural experience of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Media contact: Catherina Kennedy, Communications, (709) 729-0928.

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All phases of exhibit development will be guided by a number of principles developed by the Exhibit Planning Team in consultation with the External Advisory Committee. They include:

• Chronicling the Full Story of Newfoundland: The exhibit will support the Provincial Museum�s mandate to record and celebrate the diversity of cultures and natural ecosystems of this place by presenting the breadth of these stories in a balanced and inclusive manner.
  
  
• Capturing the Essence of Newfoundland and Labrador: The permanent exhibits at The Rooms will tell the defining stories of Newfoundland and Labrador focussing on both its distinguishing and characteristic qualities and highlighting stories of national and international significance.
  
  
• Working in Partnership with the Aboriginal Communities: The exhibits presenting the history and culture of the Inuit, Innu, and Mi�kmaq will be developed in full partnership with the respective Aboriginal communities so that the stories told through each of these exhibits will be presented from the point of view of the respective communities and introduced as such.
  
  
• Celebrating the Lives of the Beothuk: The exhibit will present the story of the Beothuk in a balanced way that represents their lives as well as commemorating the tragic loss of these people and their culture.
  
  
• Telling the Stories Through Many Voices: To ensure that the presentation of these stories is balanced and inclusive they will be told from many different perspectives and in a variety of voices, especially where dissenting opinions occur.
  
  
• Presenting the North West Atlantic Environment as the Defining Setting for Our Stories: The exhibit will use an interpretive approach that will illustrate the strong connection between this place and its people.
  
  
• Recognizing the Role of Cultural Traditions and of Individual Creativity in Shaping Our Experience of the North West Atlantic Environment: The exhibit will recognize that the cultural repertoires, strategies and knowledge that were brought by various cultures to this place had a very marked effect on how those peoples interacted with, lived in, shaped and changed this environment.
  
  
• Presenting the Province�s History to the Present Day: The exhibit will bring the stories of this place and its people through to the present day in order to serve as a platform for an understanding of our contemporary experience and of current issues and challenges.
  
  
• Acting as a Gateway to Other Sites: The exhibit will present an overview of the story of Newfoundland and Labrador and, wherever appropriate, will use specific sites and locations from all over our province to illustrate aspects of our natural and human history.
  
  
• Speaking our Languages: In designing this exhibit, the Provincial Museum will explore media options and opportunities to present information in a variety of languages including English, French, Innu-amin, Inuktitut and Mi�kmawi�simk.

2002 03 04                      4:15 p.m.