Located on the traditional, unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabe, the Canadian Museum of History is Canada’s largest museum of human history. It is also one of the country’s most-visited museums, welcoming thousands of visitors per year to its complex in the heart of the National Capital Region.
The Canadian Museum of History traces its roots back to 1856, making it one of Canada’s oldest public institutions. In addition, it oversees the Canadian War Museum, founded in 1880, and the Virtual Museum of New France, founded in 1997, while also managing Digital Museums Canada with funding from the federal government.
As a respected centre of museological excellence, the Canadian Museum of History actively shares Canada’s human and military history across Canada and around the world. Equally important is its corporate culture, which is rooted in the principles of equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility, with a particular focus on ensuring equal opportunity for all.
Caroline Dromaguet
President and Chief Executive Officer
Caroline Dromaguet is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Museum of History and the Canadian War Museum. A seasoned museum professional, Caroline has over 20 years of experience in numerous aspects of museum work, including museum management, the development and delivery of cultural products, international partnerships and initiatives that strategically position Canada’s rich and fascinating history on the world stage. She is committed to fostering collaboration, innovative thinking and leadership among members of Canada’s museum community.
Since initially joining the Museums in 1998, Caroline has held a number of key leadership positions in diverse areas of both Museums, including as Manager of Exhibitions and Strategic Initiatives, and Director of Exhibitions, Creative Development and Learning, and Interim Director General of the Canadian War Museum. Caroline was Interim President and CEO of the Museums for a two-year period prior to her confirmation in the position in December 2022. In her role as CEO, she emphasizes the importance of innovation, Indigenous rights, engagement and technology, as well as developing a healthy, diverse, inclusive and empowering work environment for employees of the Museums she oversees.
Caroline’s dedication to Canada’s cultural and heritage industry is longstanding. In addition to her work with Canada’s national history museums, she has previously worked at the National Gallery of Canada and has contributed to initiatives with the Canadian Museums Association and the Virtual Museum of Canada, the predecessor to Digital Museums Canada. Caroline strongly believes that Canada’s museums and heritage institutions have a unique role to play in bringing people together through shared knowledge, experiences, and dialogue and she is proud to contribute to this important work.
Our cultural transformation
Providing a workplace where every person is supported and respected in a safe and inclusive environment.
That is the principle at the heart of the Canadian Museum of History and the Canadian War Museum as we embark on this cultural transformation.
Here, we share what we have done — and what we are doing — to build a more respectful, supportive, inclusive, diverse and healthy work environment as we work together to deliver on our national mandate.
Workforce assessment
Following a formal complaint in 2020, the Museums proactively appointed a third-party expert investigator, while at the same time initiating a review of the Museums’ human resources policies, practices and procedures.
We asked ourselves hard questions. Are we doing enough to ensure the Museums provide an engaging, safe and inclusive environment in which all employees can thrive? We conducted a Workforce Assessment to measure the Museums’ overall working environment and to capture all employees’ satisfaction levels.
Here is what we found:
The path forward
These findings are critical to our path forward together. As we work to imagine what the best employee experience looks like, several important initiatives are currently under way.
We are forging ahead with a new cultural transformation action plan to improve the employee experience. Based on employee feedback, this action plan focuses on four pillars:
- Shaping our culture
- Strengthening employee engagement
- Strengthening well-being and mental health
- Strengthening diversity and inclusion
Executive leaders are championing an Action Plan to enhance our experience, and employees have opportunities to personally participate in its implementation through advisory working groups that have been created to help improve our organizational culture. Our broader workforce will be informed and consulted regularly throughout the rollout of the Plan.
Progress is already being made on action plan commitments:
Human Resources audit
We have also reviewed all our human resources policies, practices and procedures. Led by an external consultant, the assessment report contained a number of recommendations, all of which were approved by the Board of Trustees and are being implemented.
Looking ahead
The Museum is committed to a comprehensive renewal, which is aligned with a renewal at the Board level. The Museum’s Board of Trustees is reviewing its own Governance model to ensure that the proper framework is in place to provide strong strategic direction and support the Museum’s work, mission and values going forward.
There is still much work ahead. But we could not have come this far without the generosity of the Museums’ employees, who gave their time and valuable feedback. We are committed to maintaining an open dialogue with all employees, through respectful and transparent communications.
Positive change for the future. A renewed employee experience.
We are getting there, together.