Ottawa, May 18, 2009 - All across the country, museums large and small contribute to our culture and our communities. The theme of this year's International Museum Day, "Museums and Tourism," reminds us that museums also play a valuable role in our economy and tourism industry. This includes the Virtual Museum of Canada (VMC), which provides detailed profiles for heritage attractions across the country. By engaging audiences online, the VMC can inspire people to travel to a new destination in person to visit a new museum.
Whether they display works of art from other eras or eclectic collections of artifacts, museums stimulate curiosity and provoke wonder. We go to museums to gain knowledge, to travel through time, and to satisfy our thirst for learning, by exploring works of art created by our ancestors or recent multimedia exhibits, all of which reflect the realities and concerns of our artists.
Our Government recognizes the importance of all our museums, which are valued guardians of our heritage. We are contributing to the preservation of this rich legacy and to giving future generations access to these priceless artifacts, not only through our investments in arts and culture, but also through programs to support the development and outreach of Canada's museums. For example, just last week, I announced an additional $60 million over two years to support heritage and cultural infrastructure projects, and museums will be able to access these funds to help with renovations and upgrades.
On behalf of Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Government of Canada, I would like to thank all those who work in our museums--both volunteers and employees--and help protect these invaluable sites. I invite all Canadians to take the time to visit a museum this International Museum Day to discover the wealth and diversity of our heritage.
Information:
Deirdra McCracken
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage
and Official Languages
819-997-7788
