Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - April 16, 2005, Winnipeg, Manitoba By David Obrien i Tell be a trip like no other in Canada or the world. Visitors to the Canadian museum for human rights will embark on a 1.6 Kilometre journey through nine Levels in the $ 243 million building that could leave them depressed ashamed enlightened or inspired but not indifferent. Thatus the Promise of Ralph Appelbaum the internationally acclaimed museum consultant who will spend the next year determining which stories to Tell and How to Tell them. Appelbaum said the museum will Tell stories of heroism and depravity courage and cowardice and suffering and Triumph with the goal of encouraging people to take personal responsibility for world affairs. In Short to be global citizens. Unlike other museums Appelbaum said the Winnipeg institution will not be a collection of Static displays protected by Glass or roped off from the Public. Instead it will be an interactive facility that challenges even dares visitors to confront their consciences he said. The journey involves visits to several galleries including one that tells Only Canadian stories such As the aboriginal experience the treatment of the chinese ukrainians and other minorities As Well As triumphs like the ratification of the Canadian charter of rights and freedoms on april 17, 1982. There will also be a gallery that focuses on the lessons of the holocaust and the important role it played in the development of human rights legislation. The museum intends to collect hundreds of first person stories related to the human rights struggle. That number will eventually reach into the thousands Appelbaum said. Those narratives will be stored electronically and visitors will be Able to experience them in different ways he said. Everyone will be Given a special key that can be used to unlock the stories told during the journey through the museum. At the end of their visit museum goers can use their key to print or download the stories they ave heard so they can take them Home and share them with family and friends Appelbaum explained. Along the Way visitors will encounter actors in the role of famous human rights heroes or storytellers explaining particular issues he said. With help from modern electronics and gadgetry there will also be opportunities to experience the past from the Point of View of a victim. One room for example could feature the darkened dormitory of a residential school where visitors can listen to the dreams of a terrified aboriginal boy who misses his parents and his Home Appelbaum said. At the end of the journey every visitors photo will be taken and displayed temporarily on a Wall. Its at that Point that visitors will confront themselves and ask what they themselves have done to Stop hate and violence Appelbaum said. Dave. Obrien free press. My. Ca a6 w Winnipeg f ree p rests saturday pril 16, 2005 museum continued from Page a 1 Antoine Predock of new Mexico won the Job with a design that some spectators compared to a crystalline entity because of the Way its abstract Glass body resembles a thick Mist hovering on a Mountain Peak. It got a standing ovation one of several yesterday. Later visitors commented that it would be Canadas big Ben or Eiffel Tower world famous landmarks immediately identified with a National culture. Its like a made to order Canadian icon said Carla Divinsky commenting on the designs use of Light Earth and sky and its location at the Junction of two historic Rivers. Its visually stunning said Divinsky holocaust education coordinator at the jewish heritage Centre. Its More than a building mayor Sam Katz said. Its the Symbol of the soul of the City and country. Its a proud Day for Canada Premier Gary doer added. Ottawa and the museums proponents have been negotiating for almost a year to find a Way to build and operate it. Alcock said yesterday the Federal government would contribute $ 100 million including $ 30 million already committed. But instead of providing up to $ 12 million a year in operating capital a major stumbling Block Alcock said the government would fund specific projects and buy services from the museum. He said the museum could train Canadas soldiers and police officers on human rights issues As Well As provide services to other government departments including foreign affairs and government agencies involved in overseas Relief. Asked if a sudden general election could put of Tawas Money at risk Alcock said he was confident the governments decision would be respected even if the liberals were Defeated. Alcock stressed the facility will be a private museum but Ottawa will have a say in How it is managed. Bill Norrie chairman of the Forks Board of directors and a former mayor of Winnipeg attended the ceremonies and said he was overwhelmed with the descriptions of the museum exhibits and of Tawas decision to provide the full $ 100 million. It was a great morning Norrie said. Its not just Good news for Winnipeg but for the whole country because this will really be a National museum. The City and province Are contributing a total of $ 40 million and the private sector has donated another $ 40 million so far. With the Federal contribution of $ 100 million that Means another $ 60 million has to be raised by the private sector. But Asper said she was More than confident she would be Able to raise the funds plus another $ 50 million that would serve As an endowment to support the museums operations for a total of $ 110 million still to be found. It a snot Clear yesterday whether the Aspers have to raise that entire amount before the Federal Money would flow. Government Money is usually the last to be released in these kinds of projects. However it appears that at worst the project could be delayed but not killed if it takes longer than expected to raise the necessary Cash. The museum will be a Centre of learning and history where canadians and people from other countries can engage in dialogue about human rights and take action to combat hate and oppression. As such it will be both a National and International destination. Preliminary plans envision More than 100,000 school children entering its doors every year. Meanwhile Predock said he was honoured that his design was selected. He added with a Grin that he planned to learn to skate and curl during the time he will spend Here on the project. The committee that picked his concept said it achieved the goal of building a Structure that would be As recognizable As any of the great monuments of the world. Pre docks design the committee said exhibits the substantial presence of an iconic building. Yet retains a human scale. Architecture can help even Small cities develop International recognition almost overnight. The Guggenheim museum in Bilbao Spain is considered such an example. Pre docks building rests on a Tyndall Stone base that dissolves into an embrace of Glass. The Tower rises 300 feet into the air. The Tower is rooted in the Earth and symbolizes the notion of connecting Earth with sky said Predock whose design was among 62 entries from 21 countries. Predock who was also recently awarded the contract to construct the new National Palace museum in Taiwan said he does not normally enter competitions like this. Yet the nature of the project was just so extraordinary it jumped out at me said Predock. He said the human rights museum will be unique not Only in design but in Content. This museum is to include the most horrendous examples of genocide and the most positive heart warming stories he said adding his design will attempt to reflect that. Dave. Obrien free press. My. Ca c acadian m museum for h Uman r rights Predock above submitted the winning design right which was among 62 entries from 21 countries. Its not just Good news for Winnipeg but for the whole country because this will really be a National museum a Page of Colour pictures from yesterdays dramatic design unveiling b16 a trip like no other interactive displays to leave visitors depressed ashamed enlightened inspired illustration of planned Garden at Centre of museum above grand entry Hall right and Observatory. The Cost of the Canadian museum for human rights was originally pegged at $ 170 million with a $ 30 million endowment fund to support operations or $ 200 million in total. The complicated and ambitious design that was selected has pushed the Price tag to $ 243 million including Content. But the new business plan also Calls for a $ 50 million endowment fund or nearly $ 300 million in total. Construction costs alone Are $ 126.3 million. Heres a breakdown of construction costs for other major museums minus the Cost of Content. Four seasons Centre for performing arts $ 150 million. Royal Ontario museum $ 200 million. Canadian War museum $ 115 million. The operating costs for the Canadian museum for human rights Are estimated at $ 16 million but a More precise number will be determined later this year. Heres a breakdown of operating costs for other museums. Canadian museum of civilization $ 66.5 million. Art gallery of Ontario $ 36.6 million. National gallery of Canada $ 57 million. Canadian museum of nature $ 31 million. Royal Ontario museum $ 20 million. Canadian War museum $ 17.2 million source friends of the Canadian museum for human rights breakdown of costs ;