Canadian War Museum
Designing a Canadian exhibition to travel across the Atlantic
A temporary exhibit focused on the roles, contributions, and challenges of wartime women
Client
Canadian War Museum
Project type
Temporary/travelling exhibition
Oulton + Devine
Collaborators
Created for the Juno Beach Centre in Normandy, France, Great Women During the War, 1939 –1945 explores the experiences and often-overlooked contributions of Canadian and European women during the Second World War. Developed by the Canadian War Museum in partnership with the Juno Beach Centre, the exhibition brings together 16 personal stories of courage, resilience and change.
Working alongside 3D designer Peter Oulton, our team developed the exhibition’s scenography, 2D graphics, and illustrations with one major challenge in mind: the entire exhibition had to be fabricated in Canada, shipped overseas, and efficiently installed in France.
To make that possible, the exhibit was designed around a flexible system of modular components, standardized graphic panels, and repurposed display cases from the Canadian War Museum’s inventory. Graphic panels were designed to fit directly into the exhibit bases, while components nested together for shipping, reducing both material requirements and transportation volume. The complete exhibition was assembled and tested in Ottawa before being packed for France.
The result is a highly-adaptable travelling exhibition that balances thoughtful storytelling with an efficient, economical design system built specifically for international transport and installation.
“I am very proud of the role played by women in the military effort. This exhibition is exceptional!”
Elizabeth Stuart
Assistant Deputy Minister
Department of Veterans Affairs Canada
(Speaking at the Juno Beach Centre Exhibition Inauguration)