Human rights museum still a work in progress

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This article was published 18/09/2014 (4030 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

CREWS are working around the clock in a sprint to the finish, but will the Canadian Museum for Human Rights be ready for visitors when it opens to the general public Sept. 27?

Museum staff say they’re right on schedule but, on Wednesday, several exhibits in the 11 museum galleries didn’t appear to be ready, said those who took part in a preview tour for Friends of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.

They saw work crews in hard hats with power tools readying the 24,000-square-metre, $351-million architectural marvel for opening day.

Four galleries slated to open for preview tours this weekend appeared to be only somewhat complete, the visitors said. In one of the larger galleries, the interactive kiosks had not been installed or set up.

Tape and plastic were visible on many displays. Plywood covered most of the floor in one gallery, they said.

In the remaining seven galleries — that won’t be open to the public until Sept. 27 — it appears significantly more work remains, including the installation of many artifacts and exhibits and ensuring several digital kiosks are up and running.

Last Sunday, a planned dress-rehearsal tour for family and friends of museum staff was cancelled to give workers more time to complete the exhibits.

Museum spokeswoman Angela Cassie said Wednesday the four galleries included in this weekend’s preview tour will be ready by Saturday.

“When when we open on the 27th, all 11 galleries will be outfitted at that time,” she said.

Visitors will get “a full experience through all the galleries,” she said.

For now, “there’s a concurrence of activities” at the museum, said Cassie. Workers are there day and night, doing “the dirty work” and adjusting the lighting and sound systems, she said.

“It’s a beehive of activity,” she said as the museum prepares for Friday’s opening ceremonies.

Nearly two months ago, the museum’s director of exhibits and new media, Corey Timpson, said workers were no longer constructing the building, but were busy installing the wiring and other infrastructure to be able to run video machines and screens that will enhance the experience of visitors.

“If you walked through, you’d think we have a lot of work to do, but we’re right on schedule,” Timpson told the Free Press in late July.

Back then, they were installing the infrastructure for the audiovisual systems and other exhibits. Most of the exhibits had already been constructed elsewhere and just had to be set up inside the museum, Timpson said. He said he was certain the entire museum would be wide open to visitors Sept. 27.

“We’re not ahead, but we’re not behind,” Timpson said at the time.

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca