There are thousands of museums around the world—each different in size, purpose, and the stories they choose to tell. Museums shape how people understand history, culture, identity, and major events. So, what happens when a community doesn’t have a museum to preserve and share its story? Who gets to decide which histories are remembered, and which are forgotten?
This is a critical question for Black Canadians. If Black history is truly Canadian history, then Black Canadians should feel empowered—and motivated—to take responsibility for telling these stories in a powerful and meaningful way. Around the world, major institutions such as the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C., The Legacy Museum in Virginia, or museums in Cairo and Benin, show how transformative these spaces can be. So why not imagine a Museum of African-Canadian History and Culture here in Canada? And if such a museum were ever built, who would lead the effort?
The Museum SummerUp course challenges students to explore these questions. It is built on the belief that a future museum dedicated to Black Canadian history must be imagined, designed, and led by Black Canadians—especially the next generation. This course aims to inspire future leaders to understand the strategic importance of museums and to give them the foundational knowledge needed to pursue such a project one day.
The Museum Project, run by the LBD program, will unfold over many years. Each year, students will imagine what a museum dedicated to Black Canadian history and culture could look like—and simulate the planning required to bring that vision to life.
Student Roles and Opportunities
- Construction, Engineering, Architecture, and Design: Students interested in these fields will develop design concepts for the museum’s physical structure.
- Management and Business: Students will create a full management model—fundraising strategies, an endowment plan, marketing and advertising campaigns, a capital budget, and an operations budget.
- Digital Technology: Students will explore digital storytelling, security systems, and the digital tools needed to run a modern museum.
- Hospitality, Theatre and Retail: If the museum includes a theatre, café, or gift shop, students interested in these areas can take on planning and design tasks.
- Curatorial and Historical Research: Student teams will propose exhibitions and curate stories about historical figures, time periods, places, and events. The possibilities are endless.
Museum Project – SummerUp
The one-week SummerUp course is a starting point for the Museum project. Participating students will be encouraged to take on project assignments throughout the academic year, and to feature their efforts in exhibitions.
The Curriculum
At this time, details of the one-week SummerUp are still being developed in consultation with Toronto-based museums.