Value for the dollar at CMHR

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This article was published 07/06/2014 (4323 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Attempting to put an admission fee on something unique to this country, officials at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights are confident they got it right.

A visit to Canada’s newest national museum will cost an adult $15 (taxes included), youth admission (ages 7-17) is $8, and children under the age of 7 are free. The student and senior rate is $12, while a family of six can enter the impressive building at the foot of the Esplanade Riel for $42.

The museum announced its admission-price structure and operation hours schedule Friday.

CMHR director of earned revenue and visitor services Jacques Lavergne indicated there may not be a comparable venue for what the CMHR has to offer. That said, he feels this pricing table is in line with a number of national museums across the country.

“We’re confident that the offerings inside the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (will) provide an extremely high value for the price that we’re putting forward,” Lavergne said. “We’re talking about a stunning national institution that truly is unique in every sense of the word.”

Here’s where CMHR officials believe the value kicks in for visitors: 11 galleries, seven theatres and a 360-degree surround film room. Together, those will show over 100 hours of video, four feature films and 26 small-format films. The museum will also hold over 250 artifacts and works of art.

“The visitor experience can last anywhere from a couple hours… to potentially the entire day.”

CMHR is also offering memberships for individuals, couples and families.

Adult memberships are $50 per year, students and seniors are $35, a senior couple (65 and older) is $60, an adult couple is $90, and a family membership (up to eight family members with a maximum two adults) is $95. The membership program is scheduled to launch sometime this summer.

CMHR is also offering one free-admission night a month for everyone. That will come on the first Wednesday (4 p.m.-8 p.m.) of every month, starting in January 2015.

A museum based on past human rights injustices serves an educational function. To that end, children are an important focus. School groups will be able to visit for $5 per student per program, for both interpreter-led programs and self-guided visits.

Children-centric topics such as bullying and youth empowerment, along with music, art and activities that connect human rights issues and the environment will be featured. “The reality is, (children) are the people who we really want to learn the value of human rights and to grow up to be solid global citizens,” Lavergne said.

School-group registration starts in October for programs beginning in January 2015.

As for the hours of operation, the CMHR will be open from Tuesday to Sunday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. The museum will be closed on Mondays.

Daily admission rates will go into effect following the grand opening on Sept. 20.

adam.wazny@freepress.mb.ca