Unveiling the Bank of Canada Museum to the World
Well, to a chunk of it anyway. Every year the conference of the International Federation of Finance Museums (IFFM) draws museum directors from five continents to a get-together aimed at sharing best-practices and keeping up with the latest trends in the world of financial museums. Many of the delegates had been following our progress at the Bank of Canada Museum over the past four years, and there was a level of anticipation this year, because they knew I was going to talk to them about our opening and our experience to date.
This year was the Bank’s first opportunity to attend the conference with a museum in fully-operational mode back home, something which gave me the opportunity to step onto the stage as a featured speaker, offering the Bank’s perspective on what our teams accomplished. The presentation was met with enthusiastic interest.
From Paris to Mexico City; Museum Directors Need to Know
Philippe Gineste, Director of CitéCo (Cité de l’Économie et de la Monnaie) in Paris, set to open in 2019, took me aside early on to ask me about the pitfalls and opportunities the Bank of Canada had faced putting together our Museum. His interest was more than passing; his team at CitéCo is gearing up for a full year of trying to get all the myriad things they need done, done. He was happy to know we would offer the benefit of our experience whenever he wanted.
Philip List, Director of the host museum Erste Financial Life Park in Vienna, was happy to compare notes, given that he had just completed a similar museum earlier this year.
Silvia Singer, CEO of the Museo Interactivo de Economía in Mexico City, one of the early inspirations for the new Bank of Canada Museum, told me enthusiastically that she was planning to get to Ottawa as soon as possible to see for herself.
Philip List, Director Erste Financial Life Park, Vienna Austria.
Silvia Singer, CEO of the Museo Interactivo de Economía (MIDE) in Mexico City. The MIDE provided a great deal of inspiration for the Bank of Canada Museum.
A Conference About Museums’ Place in Economic and Financial Literacy
For the past four years now, the Bank of Canada Museum has been a member of the IFFM, an organization promoting the work of financial and central bank museums from North, Central and South America, Europe, Asia and Africa. The October conference featured numerous presentations and workshops covering different aspects of the members’ work, as well as some lively debates on the state of financial and economic literacy in the world.
I was able to participate in a number of workshops with a variety of international colleagues.
IFFM workshop on economic literacy and gender issues.
I was proud to be able to present the new Bank of Canada Museum to museum directors from around the world.
The IFFM draws delegates from the Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa.
Annamaria Lusardi, Academic Director of Global Financial Literacy Centre, Washington DC.
One of the joys of this conference is catching up with colleagues; here I am with Jakub Kunert of the Czech National Bank.
We want to hear from you! Do you have an idea for a blog post you’d like to see?
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Blog posts
The Museum Blog
January 30, 2019
Instead of bragging about our visitor statistics and the popularity our programming (both great!), we’ll talk about what’s coming up for early 2019.
What’s Up Next for 2019?
By: Graham Iddon
Content type(s):
Blog posts
January 24, 2019
As in any siege, Mafeking quickly began to run short of most things, not the least of which was cash.
Boer War Siege Money
By: Graham Iddon
Content type(s):
Blog posts
January 3, 2019
The size of the 1-cent coin was reduced to save on the cost of copper. At the same time, there were proposals to mint Canadian coins out of cheap and abundant nickel.
Unpacking the Collection 11
By: David Bergeron
Content type(s):
Blog posts
December 28, 2018
In Canada playing cards were used as form of emergency money at a time when the colony constantly suffered from a shortage gold and silver coins.
A Good Deal
By: David Bergeron
Content type(s):
Blog posts
December 14, 2018
During the first international assembly of the Ligo in 1946, a decision was made to introduce a common world currency with an internationally stable value.
Unpacking the Collection 10
By: David Bergeron
Content type(s):
Blog posts
December 11, 2018
Wars have been fought to control its trade and gifts of it have been made to ensure peace. It has even been used as currency.
Unpacking the Collection 9
By: Raewyn Passmore
Content type(s):
Blog posts
December 7, 2018
I can’t remember when I first met Paul, but it must have been shortly after his arrival in 1984. It seems like yesterday … No, it doesn’t, actually.
Paul Berry is Retiring? Say it Ain’t So!
Content type(s):
Blog posts
November 8, 2018
In Europe, gold and silver coins largely disappeared from circulation as they were hoarded or as governments used the metal for the war effort.
Money of the First World War
By: Paul S. Berry
Content type(s):
Blog posts
Subject(s):
Economy,
History,
Social studies
Grade level(s):
Grade 07 / Secondary 1,
Grade 08 / Secondary 2,
Grade 09 / Secondary 3,
Grade 10 / Secondary 4,
Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5 and CEGEP
November 2, 2018
We would like to present some of history’s great moustaches—as seen on bank notes.
Money’s Magnificent Moustaches
By: Graham Iddon
Content type(s):
Blog posts
