Photos by Darcy Finley
Honouring our Stories Looking to history helps shape the future at Manitoba Museum
BY TRINA REHBERG BOYKO
A s young refugees from Poland, Dorota Blumczyñska and her sib- lings posed in front of the bison diorama at the Manitoba Museum, then the Museum of Man and Nature, while their mother snapped a picture. They were new to Canada and couldn’t speak English, though that moment had a lasting impact. “I remember my mother saying, ‘This is the loom that will weave us in,’ ” Blumc- zyñska says of the museum and the many stories it had to tell. More than 30 years later, that sentiment rings more true than ever for Blumczyñska. She was appointed CEO of the Manitoba Museum in May 2021, taking the reins from Claudette Leclerc, who retired after 23 years of service. In the midst of a pandemic, bringing people together to listen, learn and discuss was, and still is, a challenge, but Blumczyñska
so by offering virtual programming with an interactive aspect — field trips, workshops and other learning opportunities, many of which have continued through the muse- um’s latest reopening. One such opportunity is Dome at Home, a free series that invites Manitobans to ex- plore the universe with the Planetarium’s resident astronomer, Scott Young. Another is the new Community Voices series, which highlights diverse voices in Manitoba and is also free to join. It kicked off in October with Queer Eyes on Manitoba History, pre- sented by social activist Greg Klassen and artist / filmmaker Noam Gonick. The museum has made strides forward in terms of technology over the years, even offer- ing QR codes alongside many of its exhibits so visitors can learn more about them. Still, Blumczyñska recognizes that technology is not universally accessible or understood. She stresses the importance of having a
and her team continue to adapt. “I got to join the team when there was al- ready a sense of direction and a sense of knowing how to tackle these difficulties, but there was also fatigue and some trepi- dation,” she says. With the museum forced into months-long shutdowns twice due to provincial restric- tions, Blumczyñska found herself sur- rounded by an unfamiliar quiet. “I would go into the galleries and there was just an echo because there was no one around,” she says. “The museum is a liv- ing institution. Its artifacts and specimens are the keepers of stories. They’re looking to engage with audiences. There was this heightened level of energy that had no way to expend itself.” Blumczyñska and her team were tasked with finding new ways to bring those au- diences to the museum and continuing to share the stories within its walls. They did
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WINTER 2021
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