Timeline
April, 2009 Construction starts on the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.
August 27, 2008 The Canadian Museum for Human Rights’ first Board of Trustees is appointed.
March 13, 2008 Bill C42 amending the Museums Act and creating the Canadian Museum for Human Rights received Royal Assent after receiving unanimous consent in the House of Commons and the support of the Canadian Senate.
April 20, 2007 Prime Minister Stephen Harper announces that the Canadian Museum for Human Rights would be created as a national Museum, operated by the Government of Canada and located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
April 15, 2005 The Government of Canada announced an additional capital contribution to the Museum – bringing its total capital contribution to $100 million.
• The Architectural Review Committee announced the winning design by Antoine Predock Architect PC at a news conference in Winnipeg. They described the Predock design as one that could "fulfill the objectives for an inspirational building that achieves a complexity relating to the diversity of the human experience." Since winning the Architectural Design Competition, Antoine Predock has gone on to win the coveted American Institute of Architects Gold Medal (2006) and the 2008 Cooper Hewitt Lifetime Achievement Award.
• Canadians get their first look inside the Museum. Master Exhibit Designer Ralph Appelbaum and Associates present the Museum design plan.
October 24, 2003 Friends of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights launched an international architectural design competition for the Museum “to create a distinctive, architecturally exceptional museum that will help to eliminate intolerance through recognition of human rights as the foundation for human equality, dignity and freedom worldwide.”
October 7, 2003 Israel Asper unexpectedly dies suddenly in Winnipeg, leaving his daughter Gail Asper and The Asper Foundation Executive Director Moe Levy to lead the Museum project.
April 17, 2003 Israel Asper announces the Canadian Museum for Human Rights with commitments of $30 million from the Federal Government and $6 million each from the Province of Manitoba and City of Winnipeg.
November 8, 2001 A three volume feasibility study which investigates every aspect of the museum is presented to the three levels of government, the Forks and other stakeholders.
May 11, 2001 Israel Asper convenes the first meeting of museum and human rights experts to explore the feasibility of creating the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg. Funding is received from the Department of Western Economic Diversification and The Asper Foundation for this purpose.
July 18, 2000 The idea is first discussed and conceived by Israel Asper, Gail Asper and Moe Levy following the student trip to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. in May 2000.
