Each year the CMA presents awards to celebrate and encourage excellence within the Canadian museum sector. A volunteer jury conducts a peer review of all submissions and the successful recipients are honoured at the CMA's national conference.

The CMA presents six different awards:

• The Awards of Outstanding Achievement recognizes exceptional museum projects in a series of categories, such as exhibitions, publications, marketing, conservation etc.
• The Award of Excellence in Philanthropy recognizes the outstanding and innovative contributions a donor has proposed or funded to one or more Canadian museums.
• The Award of Distinguished Service recognizes significant contributions by individuals to the Canadian museum sector throughout the course of their careers.
• The Fellows of the CMA recognizes individuals who have shown dedication to supporting the work of the CMA throughout the course of their careers.
• The Barbara A. Tyler Award in Museum Leadership recognizes excellence in museum leadership within the Canadian museum community.
• Dr. Shirley L. Thomson Young Curators Award provides internships for young graduates that enhance learning experiences for curatorial careers in the visual arts.

  The CMA also presents four awards in partnership with other organizations:

• The Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Museums: History Alive! recognizes excellence and innovation in the public programming of museums and related heritage institutions. This award is presented by the CMA in partnership with Canada's History Society.
• ICOM Canada's International Achievement Award honours a Canadian museum professional or organization that has demonstrated and promoted excellence in Canadian museology on an international scale.
• Museum volunteers can be recognized through two awards:
  • The Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers is an official honour created by the Crown and is part of the Canadian Honours System. The CMA is proud to have been invited by the Office of the Secretary to the Governor General to recognize volunteers within the museum sector on an annual basis.
  • The Museum Volunteer Award recognizes individuals or groups who generously volunteer their time and commitment to a museum or related heritage institution and who have made a sustaining impact. This award is a collaboration between the CMA and the Canadian Federation of Friends of Museums (CFFM).

Deadline

The deadline for applications and nominations for all awards is November 15 each year, with the exception of the History Alive! Award.

2017 Award Recipients

CMA Awards of Outstanding Achievement

The Canadian Museums Association (CMA) honoured the achievements of museum professionals at its 2017 National Conference in Ottawa, Ont. A total of 19 awards were presented during a special Awards Ceremony held at the Westin Ottawa Hotel, Friday April 7.

Back/l. to r.: Pierre Lassonde, Michel V. Cheff, Michele Gallant, Katharine Lochnan, Michael Audain, Alexandrine Théorêt, Karen Duffek, Johanne Landry, Alison Rajah, Christy Thompson, Lisa Ellis, Graham Young. [Front/l. to r.: Yanick Daunais, Jean-François Royal, Carolyn Holmes, Hélène Samson, Vanessa McBay, Tom Foran, Khalil Z. Shariff, Dominique Laurent. Photo by Martine Ménard. ©Canadian Museums Association, April 2017.

Award of Outstanding Achievement in Education

	MakerLab Youth Immersion Two Rivers Gallery (Prince George, B.C.)
Carolyn Holmes . Photo by Martine Ménard. ©Canadian Museums Association, April 2017.

Award of Outstanding Achievement in Conservation

Small Wonders: Gothic Boxwood Miniatures Art Gallery of Ontario (Toronto, Ont.)

Award of Outstanding Achievement in Marketing

	Remember Them at The Rooms Campaign The Rooms Corporation of Newfoundland and Labrador (St John’s, N.L.)
From l. to r.: Tom Foran , Karen Bachmann and Vanessa McBay . Photo by Martine Ménard. ©Canadian Museums Association, April 2017.

Award of Outstanding Achievement in Philanthropy

	Pierre Lassonde Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec (Québec, Que.)
Pierre Lassonde . Photo by Martine Ménard. ©Canadian Museums Association, April 2017.

Award of Outstanding Achievement in Exhibitions — Cultural Heritage

	Tu ne tueras point Musée des religions du monde (Nicolet, Que.)
Yanick Daunais and Jean-François Royal. Photo by Martine Ménard. ©Canadian Museums Association, April 2017.

Award of Outstanding Achievement in Exhibitions — Science

	Pliosaur Exhibits The Manitoba Museum (Winnipeg, Man.)
Graham Young . Photo by Martine Ménard. ©Canadian Museums Association, April 2017.

Award of Outstanding Achievement in Exhibitions — Art 

	Hommage à Dallaire: Que la Fête commence! Galerie Montcalm (Gatineau, Que.)
From l. to r.: Maxime Pedneaud-Jobin, Michel Cheff and Dominique Laurent . Photo by Martine Ménard. ©Canadian Museums Association, April 2017.

Award of Outstanding Achievement in Exhibitions — Art

	Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun: Unceded Territories UBC Museum of Anthropology (Vancouver, B.C.)
Karen Duffek and Karen Bachmann. Photo by Martine Ménard. ©Canadian Museums Association, April 2017.

Award of Outstanding Achievement in Exhibitions — Cultural Heritage

	TOGETHER: An Exhibition on Global Development Aga Khan Foundation Canada (Ottawa, Ont.)
Khalif Z. Shariff . Photo by Martine Ménard. ©Canadian Museums Association, April 2017.

Award of Outstanding Achievement in New Media

	Surrey Urban Screen Surrey Art Gallery (Surrey, B.C.)
Alison Rajah . Photo by Martine Ménard. ©Canadian Museums Association, April 2017.

Award of Outstanding Achievement in Research — Art

	Mystical Landscapes Art Gallery of Ontario (Toronto, Ont.)
Christy Thompson and Karen Bachmann. Photo by Martine Ménard. ©Canadian Museums Association, April 2017.

Award of Outstanding Achievement in Research — Cultural Heritage

	Notman, photographe visionnaire Musée McCord Museum (Montreal, QC)
David Silcox and Hélène Samson . Photo by Martine Ménard. ©Canadian Museums Association, April 2017.

Additional awards were also presented in the following categories:

President's Award

The inaugural President’s Award was presented to Michael Audain in recognition of his many contributions and patronage of art institutions, artists and museums across Canada.

Michael Audain and Karen Bachmann . Photo by Martine Ménard. ©Canadian Museums Association, April 2017.

Award of Distinguished Service

The CMA salutes the outstanding careers of these dedicated museum professionals: Michele Gallant , Glenbow Museum (Calgary, Alta.); Dr. Katharine Lochnan , Art Gallery of Ontario (Toronto, Ont.); and Dr. Randy Miller , New Brunswick Museum (Saint John, N.B.)

David Silcox and Michele Gallant . Martine Ménard. ©Canadian Museums Association, April 2017.	Karen Lochman Photo: Martine Ménard. ©Canadian Museums Association, April 2017.

CMA Fellow / Fellow de l’AMC

The CMA welcomed and recognized a new Fellow: Benoît Légaré .

ICOM Canada's International Achievement Award

The ICOM Canada International Achievement Award is presented to Johanne Landry , Jardin botanique de Montréal – Espace pour la vie (Montréal, Que.) an esteemed ambassador of scientific museology on the national and international levels.

Audrey Vermette (présidente ICOM Canada) and Johanne Landry. Photo by Martine Ménard. ©Canadian Museums Association, April 2017.

2017 Dr. Shirley L. Thomson Young Curators Award

The Canadian Museums Association (CMA) and the Museums Foundation of Canada are proud to announce the recipient of the Dr. Shirley L. Thomson Young Curators Award , an annual legacy fund which supports practical skills development for your curators.

	Alexandrine Théorêt and the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA) were recognized during the CMA Awards Ceremony and Reception at the Westin Ottawa Hotelas part of the Conference.
From l. to r.: Anne Grace (MFFA) , David Silcox,  Alexandrine Théorêt and Karen Bachmann . Photo by Martine Ménard. ©Canadian Museums Association, April 2017.

Past award recipients

2016 Award recipients (PDF)
2015 Award recipients (PDF)
2014 Award recipients (PDF)
2013 Award recipients (PDF)
2012 Award recipients (PDF)
2011 Award recipients (PDF)
2010 Award recipients (PDF)
2009 Award recipients (PDF)
2008 Award recipients (PDF)