Insightful. Revealing. Surprising. Double Take – Portraits of Intriguing Canadians presented at the Canadian Museum of Civilization

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For immediate release

Gatineau, Quebec, March 21, 2013 — The Canadian Museum of Civilization is proud to offer visitors a behind-the-scenes look at personalities who have helped shape Canada, by exploring their stories and discovering something new and unexpected about them.

Opening today, the exhibition Double Take – Portraits of Intriguing Canadians shines a spotlight on 59 fascinating people who have left their mark in diverse domains of the social, economic, cultural, sports and political life of the country.

Organized by Library and Archives Canada, the exhibition brings together more than one hundred paintings, photographs and drawings, as well as artifacts. Double Take – Portraits of Intriguing Canadians showcases works that span four centuries, including early explorers Jacques Cartier and Samuel de Champlain, and more contemporary icons such as David Suzuki and Joni Mitchell.

“This exhibition is a good example of the partnerships that allow Library and Archives Canada to make the items in its collection accessible to all Canadians, said Daniel J. Caron, Deputy Head and Librarian and Archivist of Canada. This exhibition not only illustrates the richness and diversity of the national portrait collection, but also motivates visitors to come and discover the richness of Canadian archives through these works, which are a gateway to our history.”

With its rich National Collection, the Museum of Civilization has been able to add to the exhibition portraits and artifacts related to the lives of three other prominent Canadians; Sir William Van Horne, builder of the Canadian Pacific Railway, Sir Arthur Currie, a hero of the First World War at the battles of Vimy and Amiens, and Billy Bishop, Canada’s famous flying ace. In addition, other important artifacts from the National Collection and works belonging to the Canadian War Museum will be used to complete the presentation of a dozen people who are already part of Double Take – Portraits of Intriguing Canadians.

“This exhibition paints a refreshing portrait of these exceptional characters that have shaped Canada in their way, said Mark O’Neill, President and CEO of the Canadian Museum of Civilization. This exhibition allows us to discover unknown aspects of their personalities and thus deepen our knowledge of the country through those who have marked its history.”

Double Take – Portraits of Intriguing Canadians is organized and circulated by Library and Archives Canada and includes additional content provided by the Canadian Museum of Civilization. The exhibition will be presented at the Museum of Civilization until October 14, 2013.

Further information about Double Take – Portraits of Intriguing Canadians is available at www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/portraits.

The Canadian Museum of Civilization is the centre for research and public information on the social and human history of the country. Located on the shores of the Ottawa River in Gatineau, Quebec, the Museum is Canada’s largest and most popular cultural institution, attracting over 1.2 million visitors each year. The Museum of Civilization’s principal role is to preserve and promote the heritage of Canada for present and future generations, thereby contributing to the promotion and enhancement of Canadian identity.

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