Chris Hannay
The Globe and Mail
August 17, 2018
As any homeowner knows, sometimes you run into some surprises when it’s time to move. This has proven to be especially true for those involved in the relocation of the stored exhibits of Canadian Science and Technology Museums Corp.
“We sometimes don’t know what’s in the back,” said Gordon Perrault, director of conservation and collection service, on a recent tour through the Crown corporation’s warehouses.
He pointed out red-velvet cushions eaten by moths and vials of unlabelled chemicals with mysterious contents. There were also rundown cars to contend with, he said. “Every time you move a crate, there’s another brake system [lying there].”
The corporation, which brands itself as Ingenium, is in the midst of a major move: cleaning up its three warehouses in Ottawa and building a new facility to house its collection. The project is massive, costing $156.4-million and promising a major addition to one of Canada’s national museums. But it has been beset by delays caused by problems in the early planning stages.