Canadian Museum for Human Rights

Cold

It is cold, really cold. What can one do when it is too cold to go for a walk, when it is a major expedition to venture outside? Fortunately, apart from the Nutcracker at Boxing Day, there is this pile of unread and very interesting books, and there are museums.

One of the latter, the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, is brand new. Even if there were no exhibits, the building itself is spectacular. From the outside it looks like a turtle or a turban. Inside there is glass and steel and there are lots of walkways crisscrossing the building, gradually leading to the different floors and the very top of the museum. It seemed we walked for miles and it was enough exercise for one day. 

In fact for me the architecture, so the building, was far more interesting than the exhibits, although any available new technique was used. The views of the city, the frozen Red River and the interesting construction of the footbridge, alluring in summer, are quite spectacular from behind glass. The exhibits may be more interesting for a younger generation and for Canadians and Americans. For me, a European citizen, not much was new.

As can be expected we were not the only visitors that day. Given it is holiday time and very cold, and this museum has been given a lot of attention in the media, you can imagine the long lines for the ticket office and the coat check.

 Looking through glass, on which the construction of the museum is reflected. 

 A train crossing the bridge across the Red River

 Looking down the steel and glass stairs

Footbridge with restaurant across the Red River leading from the British to the French part of the city

It was too cold by far to take any pictures outside, as my fingers were starting to hurt and stiffen the moment  I took off my gloves. Nevertheless I took a few, especially at sunset when the top of the footbridge tower and the top of the roof of the museum as well as its tower were coloured a deep red, a magic moment.

 Sunset