• Anyone Could Be a Refugee; No One Chooses To Be a Refugee
    When there is a war in a country, it can become difficult for its citizens to leave... People lose their lives and leave their homes to escape to neighboring countries. Or, they might simply stay put and instead move around the country while waiting to return to their homes. Each of these …
  • My Last Ten Years as an Immigrant to Canada and Working at an Immigration Museum
    At the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, we collect and tell the stories of immigrants who came to Canada and continue to come to Canada to make a new home for themselves. Some of these stories are used in the permanent exhibitions, online and in current and future travelling exhibits. …
  • A Taste of Something New: Adapting to Food in a New Country
    Settling in a new country may pose many challenges for immigrants There are language barriers, cultural differences and, often, difficulties getting accustomed to the climate, to name only a few. Though there are countless other adjustments we may discuss relating to immigration, one important and …
  • Call Your Grandparents
    One of the things I love most about working in the Scotiabank Family History Centre (SHFC) at the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 is that every interaction is wildly different. But as diverse as our genealogy research can be, one thing that comes up constantly is the regret that people …
  • What does PEACE look like to you?
    Peace – The Exhibition is the Museum’s summer 2014 exhibit, brought to us by the Canadian War Museum. It is a glowing success, attracting about 6,000 visitors in just six weeks. One of the elements that make it so successful is the activities that encourage visitor participation. The tile mosaic, …
  • No eggs or butter? Baking during difficult times is nothing new.
    During the Second World War and reconstruction period, the Canadian Government wanted to fulfill its commitments to England by providing a vast quantity of food supplies for troops and civilians. Therefore, from 1942 to 1947, a system that was completely new to Canadians: rationing was imposed. …
  • Ordinary People, Extraordinary Things: Holocaust Education Week
    To most young people today, the Holocaust is a distant nightmare, something that took place long ago in a place far away. They have heard about the atrocities and the statistics, but Canadian youth, in particular, have largely not been personally affected by this horrific example of humanity at its …
  • Customs and Traditions: Holiday Edition!
    In the Canadian Immigration Hall, we have a great interactive element where we ask visitors to share with us their family traditions and customs. The point of this activity is to get people to think about where these traditions come from and the intangible culture that immigrants bring with them …
  • Would You Pass The Test?
    I have had the pleasure of attending quite a few citizenship ceremonies in my life. If you have not been to one, I suggest you look into it. The excitement, the joy, the pride, you can feel them in the air like electricity. Many immigrants feel like they really belong in Canada after receiving …
  • Customs and Traditions Wall
    Tell us about your customs and traditions: In the Canadian Immigration Hall at our Museum, the exhibition is divided into four important themes: journey, arrival, belonging and impact. My favorite place to take visitors is the impact section. Here, we tell the amazing story of the contributions …