The idea of bringing Canadian history to life by interpreting its historic buildings and streetscapes figures prominently in the approach taken in the Canadian Museum of Civilization's Canada Hall. Offering a cultural message in an entertaining fashion was a challenging and innovative undertaking. Commonwealth worked closely with the museum's planners over a three-year period. Our services included historical research, detailed design of buildings and environments, and construction management for the structures.
The Canada Hall is a vaulted space measuring 110 metres by 30 metres, with a maximum height of 18 metres. Visitors meander through a series of recreated streetscapes which are reflective of Canada's different chronological periods and geographical regions. This program begins with the Norse arrival and ends in the late twentieth century . The stagesets provide a physical framework for artifacts, multimedia programs, and animation, and also offer hands-on participatory environments.