Canadian Museum for Human Rights

What Canadian Museum for Human Rights does

The Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR) is a federal Crown corporation and registered charity headquartered at 85 Israel Asper Way, Winnipeg, Manitoba, located on Treaty 1 territory at The Forks. Inaugurated in 2014 as the first national museum in the world dedicated to human rights, it operates permanent and rotating exhibitions exploring Indigenous rights, the residential school system, the Holocaust, 2SLGBTQI+ rights, Japanese Canadian internment, and the Palestinian Nakba. Core offerings include the Witness Blanket artwork (containing over 800 items reclaimed from residential schools), Dimensions in Testimony (an interactive question-and-answer experience with Holocaust survivors), the Proclamation 1982 augmented reality app bringing the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to life, and virtual tours through its Explore from Home platform. Educational programs serve K-12 students, teachers, university researchers, and the general public through curriculum-aligned programming, a reference centre, and resource guides.

CMHR earns revenue through a mix of adult general admissions ($23/visit), annual membership subscriptions, private event and corporate venue rentals, donations via the Friends of CMHR support organization, and premium-pricing special exhibitions. Pricing varies by visitor category, with free admission offered on International Human Rights Day (December 10), National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, and through the Canada Strong Pass holiday program providing free access for children and teens under 17 plus 50% off for young adults aged 18-24. The museum distributes content domestically through its Winnipeg site and globally through digital platforms, with subject-matter coverage expanded via partnerships including conservation collaboration with the Canadian Conservation Institute, an executive leadership program with the University of Winnipeg, and a stewardship agreement with the Kwakwaka'wakw First Nation for the Witness Blanket. Operations are subject to federal government oversight and parliamentary appropriations, with federal expenditure review having recently triggered a small workforce reduction.

Name

Canadian Museum for Human Rights

Legal name

Canadian Museum for Human Rights

Website

https://humanrights.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Canadian Museum for Human Rights is a federal Crown corporation in Winnipeg operating the world's first national museum dedicated to human rights, serving visitors, students, and educators through physical exhibitions, digital experiences, and educational programming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Museum Services

NAICS

Museums (712110), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Libraries and Archives (51921)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Cultural Heritage Institutions (Archives, Historic Houses, Monuments Foundations) (THAJADAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialty Museums (e.g., Maritime, Aviation, Sports, Music, Film) (THAJADAF), Archives, Special Collections & Preservation Operations (Rare Materials, Conservation) (EDAEAGAJ), Museum, Zoo & Attraction Gift Shops (CRALAJAG)

Keywords

• Human rights museum
• Cultural exhibitions
• Educational programming
• Truth and reconciliation
• Public history museums

Headquarters

HQ city

Winnipeg

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Admission Fees: General admission fees for visitors to the museum galleries and exhibitions
2. Membership Program: Annual membership offering free admission, special pricing, early registration, and discounts at the museum boutique
3. Event Rentals: Venue rental for private events, corporate functions, and special occasions in museum spaces
4. Donations: Charitable donations through Friends of CMHR to support museum programming and exhibitions
5. Special Exhibits and Programs: Revenue from temporary exhibitions, special programs, and educational offerings with premium pricing

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Canadian Museum for Human Rights operates a national museum in Winnipeg offering permanent and special exhibitions on human rights topics (Indigenous rights, residential schools, Holocaust, LGBT rights, Japanese Canadian dispossession, Palestinian Nakba), alongside K-12 school programs, public speaker series, virtual tours, membership-based admission, event rental services, and educational resource guides. Core offerings include interactive technology-driven exhibits such as the Dimensions in Testimony Holocaust testimony system and the Proclamation 1982 augmented reality app, complemented by donations-funded programming through Friends of CMHR.

Product overview

The Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR) is a national museum offering in-person and digital experiences focused on human rights education. The museum features permanent core galleries exploring Indigenous rights, the Holocaust, and global human rights violations, complemented by rotating special exhibitions such as the Witness Blanket (permanent artwork), Love in a Dangerous Time (LGBT Purge), Broken Promises (Japanese Canadian internment), and Palestine Uprooted (Nakba). The museum provides educational programs for schools, public speaker series, virtual tours through its Explore from Home platform, and a mobile app for gallery navigation. Key technology offerings include Dimensions in Testimony (interactive Holocaust survivor testimony) and the Proclamation 1982 augmented reality app for the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The museum also operates the Carte International Reference Centre and publishes resource guides on various human rights topics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Proclamation 1982: Augmented reality app that brings the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to life
• Witness Blanket

Products and services

• Dimensions in Testimony Innovative interactive exhibition technology enabling visitors to engage in real-time question-and-answer conversations with Holocaust survivors, allowing future generations to interact with eyewitness testimony even after survivors have passed.
• Proclamation 1982 Augmented Reality App Augmented reality mobile application that brings the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to life through interactive digital experiences on mobile devices for visitors exploring human rights concepts.
• Explore from Home Virtual Tours Virtual tours of museum exhibits and architecture accessible online, enabling remote visitors globally to experience the museum's galleries and collections from home.
• Museum Mobile Application Museum mobile app providing guided tours of exhibits, gallery-by-gallery navigation, and exhibit information for visitors to the physical museum.
• Witness Blanket Exhibition Permanent exhibition of the large-scale artwork containing hundreds of items reclaimed from residential schools, churches, and government buildings across Canada, honouring Survivors of Canada's residential school system.
• Love in a Dangerous Time: Canada's LGBT Purge Exhibition exploring the systematic investigation, harassment, and firing of 2SLGBTQI+ members of the Canadian Armed Forces, RCMP, and federal public service from the 1950s to the 1990s.
• Broken Promises: The Dispossession of Japanese Canadians Exhibition examining the forced displacement and dispossession of Japanese Canadians during and after World War II, with associated historical photographs and artifacts.
• Palestine Uprooted: Nakba Past and Present Exhibition exploring the ongoing forced displacement of Palestinians through interactive experiences, tactile elements, video, objects, and art.
• Reclaiming Power and Place Exhibition Special exhibition featuring Indigenous artists responding to justice through art and action, addressing Indigenous rights and reconciliation themes.
• School Programs Curriculum-aligned educational programs for K-12 students including guided tours and interactive learning experiences on human rights topics.
• Manitoba Upstander Showcase Annual showcase event where students and educators across Manitoba present creative projects and commitments to human rights principles.
• Museum Event Rentals Venue rental services for private events, corporate functions, weddings, and special occasions hosted within the museum's event spaces.
• Museum Membership Program Annual membership program providing free general admission, special pricing for exhibits, early registration privileges, and discounts at the Museum Boutique for individuals and families.
• Carte International Reference Centre Reference centre located on Level 5 at the museum, providing research resources on residential schools and human rights topics to researchers and visitors.

Quantifiable outcome

• Governor General's Award for Excellence in Museums: History Alive! for Love in a Dangerous Time exhibition
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Canadian Conservation InstituteminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 30 April 2021Collaborative conservation project for the Witness Blanket, providing expertise in care and preservation of the artwork containing over 800 items from residential schools.
• Manitoba Museum Conservation TeamminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 30 April 2021Manitoba Museum's conservation team leading the conservation project for the Witness Blanket in partnership with CMHR, conducting treatments in the museum's conservation laboratory.
• Kwakwaka'wakw First Nation / Kumugwe BasingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 October 2019Historic agreement finalized through traditional Indigenous oral ceremony at Kumugwe, the K'ómoks First Nation Bighouse on Vancouver Island, for the Witness Blanket artwork. First time in Canada an Indigenous oral ceremony formalized such an agreement with a national museum.
• Carey Newman (Hayalthkin'geme)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 April 2019Historically unique agreement between the CMHR and Indigenous artist Carey Newman for the protection and use of The Witness Blanket, a powerful art installation made with over 800 items reclaimed from residential schools, churches, and government buildings. The agreement unites Indigenous concepts and Western legal principles for stewardship of this artwork of national importance.
• Federation of International Human Rights Museums (FIHRM)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 September 2018CMHR hosted the annual FIHRM conference, the first time held in North America, with delegates from human rights museums in 20 countries gathering to share best practices and advance human rights education globally.
• University of WinnipegcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 June 2018Joint development of a unique program to help business executives and organizational leaders shape workplace cultures that respect Indigenous and human rights, supporting implementation of Truth and Reconciliation Commission calls to action.
• Friends of CMHRminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupport organization that raises funds and promotes awareness for the museum's mission and programming through donation campaigns and community engagement.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Strengths5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cmhr_news
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/HumanRightsMuseum
• Facebookfacebook.com/canadianmuseumforhumanrights
• Instagraminstagram.com/humanrights.ca
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/canadian-museum-for-human-rights

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Canadian Museum for Human Rights