The Canada Agriculture and Food Museum () is a national agricultural museum in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Occupying several buildings within the Central Experimental Farm, the museum operates as a "working farm", and provides public programs and exhibitions on agriculture sciences, and on the history of agriculture in Canada. In addition to the exhibitions held on the grounds, the museum also organizes travelling exhibitions for other museums across the country.
The museum's collection originated from a museum established at the Central Experimental Farm in 1920, although a national agriculture museum was not opened by the federal government until October 1983, as the Agriculture Museum. Initially occupying only a dairy barn, the museum later expanded to include several other buildings on the Central Experimental Farm. The museum was renamed the Canada Agriculture Museum in May 2000, before it adopted its current name in May 2013.
History
The collection of the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum originated from the museum operated at the Central Experimental Farm in 1920. Maintenance of the collection was later taken up by the National Museums of Canada (NMC), although some items from the collection were transferred to the Canadian Museum of Civilization, or the National Museum of Science and Technology. Management of the museum was later assumed by Ingenium, a crown corporation. The museum has since changed its name twice in the 21st century, first to the Canada Agriculture Museum in May 2000, and the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum in May 2013.
The main building for the museum, the "Dairy Barn", or "Building 88," is a three-storey barn with a gable roof and two side wings. The building is made out of stone, wood shingles, and batten. Because of the buildings historical association with dairy farm research, the footprint of the building was designated as a Federal Heritage Building in 1987. Built in 1911 and renovated during the 1930s, Building 91 was used to test swine until it was repurposed for museum use.
Operations
thumb|[[Dairy cattle inside the museum's main building. The museum is considered a "working farm" with a number of livestock on the property.]]
The museum is operated by Ingenium, a crown corporation responsible for preserving and protecting Canada's scientific and technical heritage. In addition to the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum, Ingenium also manages two other national museums of Canada, the Canada Aviation and Space Museum, and the Canada Science and Technology Museum.
Canada Agriculture and Food Museum provides programs and exhibitions on the history of agriculture in Canada, as well as the benefits and relationship with agricultural sciences. Situated within the Central Experimental Farm, the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum operates as a "working farm", with 150 farm animals available at the demonstration farm, including a herd of 50-head dairy herd, as well as horses, beef cattle, pigs, goats, poultry and sheep. It has an outdoor "energy park" which showcases renewable energy sources. In addition to museum exhibits and other public programs, the museum also provides facility rentals for special events, and live demonstrations.
See also
- Agriculture in Canada
- Manitoba Agricultural Museum
- Ontario Agricultural Museum
- Ornamental Gardens