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Before the Erebus

By: Graham Iddon


January 30, 2018
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The Making of Sir John Franklin—at the CMH

exhibition window

Since 2013, the Canadian Museum of History (CMH) has hosted a number of our mini exhibitions in a display case around the corner from the Grand Hall. These little exhibitions have, up until now, formed part of our efforts to remain visible and relevant while we were closed for renovations. Nevertheless, since opening our doors last July, we have elected to continue this relationship by introducing a new exhibition at the CMH on January 30: Before the Erebus: The Making of Sir John Franklin. Our last two exhibitions there, Swindle! Canadian Phantom Banks and Mining the Miners, were both developed to complement the CMH’s big summer exhibitions and this time around, we chose to do the same again with Death in the Ice: The Mystery of the Franklin Expedition opening at the CMH in March. Fresh from a successful run at the National Maritime Museum in London, England, it boasts fascinating artifacts recovered from the Franklin expedition including items raised from his recently discovered ships, HMS Erebus and Terror.

painting of ship in the Arctic

The HMS Erebus fancifully painted by François Etienne Musin, a painter of seascapes and ships. (Wikimedia: Royal Museums, Greenwhich)

engraving of Sir John Franklin

A slim Sir John Franklin: possibly produced soon after he was knighted in 1829. (Welcome Library no. 3250i)

two sailing ships in battle

This map detail shows an illustration representing the Battle of Trafalgar.

Now you might wonder how a museum specializing in economics and currency expects to interpret the history of a legendary arctic explorer—through money, of course. Among the nice things about money, and there are so very many, is its intimate connection to a society and how that can reflect a broad variety of its issues and events. War, colonization, foreign trade, military occupation, dictatorship and revolution are just a few historical scenarios evoked by our artifact selection—scenarios encountered by Sir John Franklin throughout his career. As a way of complementing the big exhibition upstairs, we have chosen to explore Franklin’s career prior to his doomed expedition, instead focussing on the career that took him nearly around the globe and through some key events in 19th century history.

hand illustrated map

Our map of Franklin’s voyages was created by cartographer and board game illustrator Daniel Hasenbos.

Plunged head-long into the Battle of Copenhagen as a fifteen-year-old naval volunteer, in an astonishing career, Franklin rose up the ranks to command his own ships and expeditions. He was aboard Matthew Flinders’ ship Investigator as it circumnavigated Australia, in the thick of the Battle of Trafalgar, among those escorting the Portuguese Royal Family as it fled Napoleon and deep into “the land God gave to Cain” trekking overland from Hudson’s Bay to the Coppermine River—twice. There’s so much more to Franklin than the mystery surrounding his disappearance.

old copper coin

This 3-duit coin was minted in the Netherlands for use in the Dutch East Indies; now Indonesia. (NCC.1974.151.5425)

old silver coin

This British coin is a former Spanish piece with its design replaced by “Britannia.” A closer look reveals some of the original Spanish markings. (NCC.1960.002.005)

worn paper note

Coin shortages were common in distant colonies. In Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania) merchants issued notes (scrip) to act as change. (NCC.2017.030.001)

Most of the currency featured in this exhibition was produced in response to specific social, political or military situations or was in some way adapted to meet those needs. The artifacts were chosen to represent some of Franklin’s most important encounters with history: coins of the Greek revolution, the British empire’s rapid expansion, the Napoleonic Wars. In a way, it is as much about currency’s ability to hold a mirror up to history as it is about Franklin.

tiny flags on a map

All of Franklin’s routes are marked with a flag that resembles those used for communications by the Royal Navy.

large, plastic coin reproduction

The 3D printed coins were hand-painted with a realistic patina by our graphic designer. They can be flipped to see both sides.

an exhibition window

Our display window is around the corner from the Grand Hall, next to the Canadian Stamp Collection.

Coins are generally small things, so for this exhibition we’ve given the visitor a little help. For each historic zone of Franklin’s life, we’ve had the main artifact enlarged, 3D printed and hand-painted. Visitors can touch and flip these prop coins to see and feel details in ways that would never be possible with actual artifacts. Of course, the real artifacts are there too, several for each zone, and arranged over a wonderfully illustrated map that highlights the major voyages of Franklin’s career.

Before the Erebus: the Making of Sir John Franklin will be open for a few weeks prior to Death in the Ice: The Mystery of the Franklin Expedition and will run all year. See both for a rounded picture of this extraordinary man.

We want to hear from you! Do you have an idea for a blog post you’d like to see?
Content type(s): Blog posts

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The Museum Blog

June 16, 2014

Museum Reconstruction - Part 2

By: Graham Iddon


We are coming up on a year since we closed the doors on the physical museum. During that year, we’ve worked very hard to make sure everybody knows that we are still a functioning museum and one that will be opening its doors again in a few years on a beautiful new space, with an expanded mission and mandate.
Content type(s): Blog posts
June 6, 2014

Becoming a Collector III

By: Graham Iddon


For you as the steward of your collection, your aim is to preserve the items as best as you can by protecting them from further deterioration. The pros call this preservation.
Content type(s): Blog posts
May 26, 2014

The Adventure of Exhibit Planning IV

By: Graham Iddon


This exhibition is about engravers, production processes and the beauty of postage stamps and bank notes. In the previous episode of this series we talked about the process surrounding securing the bank notes for this exhibition and how it had to take into account both the needs of the exhibition team and the concerns of the collections department.
Content type(s): Blog posts
May 20, 2014

Becoming a Collector II

By: Graham Iddon


So now you’ve decided that collecting currency is far more fascinating than collecting 14th Century Flemish altar paintings and have begun to accumulate some items. Good for you, those paintings are a bother to dust and currency is far easier to take care of.
Content type(s): Blog posts
May 12, 2014

Becoming a Collector I

By: Graham Iddon


Collecting things is a very common human urge. Be they matchbooks, pop bottles or 17th century Flemish altar paintings, owning large numbers of the same type of thing is a fascinating pastime for many of us.
Content type(s): Blog posts
May 2, 2014

The Adventure of Exhibit Planning III

By: Graham Iddon


During the planning stages stamping the word ‘final’ on any given aspect of a travelling exhibition can seem less of a directive and more of an overly optimistic suggestion.
Content type(s): Blog posts
April 22, 2014

Notes from the Collection: Recent Acquisitions II

By: Paul S. Berry


This month’s selections highlight various areas of Collection development. These include what are called financial instruments: items such as stocks, bonds shares and other articles that represent a contract to deliver money in some manner.
Content type(s): Blog posts
April 3, 2014

Museum Reconstruction - Part 1

By: Graham Iddon


In early February, a small group from the Bank’s Communications Department booked a brief tour of the main floor and first basement at the Wellington Street head office. It’s still in the demolition phase of the renovation.
Content type(s): Blog posts
March 28, 2014

Notgeld, emergency money from interwar Europe

By: Patricia Measures


Notgeld, German for emergency money, first appeared at the beginning of World War One and was issued until 1924. Through these notes we can see the entire story of Germany’s experience with out-of-control inflation between the wars.
Content type(s): Blog posts
February 27, 2014

Notes From the Collection: Recent Acquisitions

By: Paul S. Berry


Before the Museum closed, and the Collection moved to Gatineau, the curators regularly hosted a show and tell session for staff to see new acquisitions. With the help of the Museum’s new blog, that tradition will continue; only now, you too will be able to see and learn about some of the brilliant new stars in the Collection. Get out your sunglasses!
Content type(s): Blog posts
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