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Mission and Mandate

Knowing more about nature gives us the tools to make better decisions about resources. It provides the basis for new technologies and developments, and promotes a better understanding of how we affect, and are affected by, the natural world.

The Canadian Museum of Nature is home to one of the world’s largest and finest natural history collections. Comprised of 26 major science collections of more than 14.6 million specimens, the museum’s holdings cover four billion years of Earth history.

In addition to preserving these precious specimens for posterity, the collection is a vital resource for scientists, researchers and museums in Canada and around the world. For instance, by examining past patterns of species distribution, climate change and extinction, palaeobiology research helps scientists understand natural events that occur during environmental changes and assists in predicting future consequences.

At the museum, we use the past to prepare for the future. Our specimens provide the backbone for our many special exhibitions and signature galleries, and they greatly enhance our educational programmes, designed for adults, teens and children, about the natural world.

Our Mandate

The Canadian Museum of Nature has its origins in the Geological Survey of Canada, which was formed in 1842. Nearly 150 years later, on July 1, 1990, the museum became a Crown Corporation by an Act of Parliament.

The Museums Act was a significant event in the history of the museum. With Crown Corporation status came a new name, a new "arms-length" status and an expanded mandate.

"The purpose of the Canadian Museum of Nature is to increase throughout Canada and internationally, interest in, knowledge of and appreciation and respect for the natural world by establishing, maintaining and developing for research and posterity a collection of natural history objects, with special but not exclusive reference to Canada, and by demonstrating the natural world, the knowledge derived from it and the understanding it represents."

– from the Museums Act, Chapter M-13.4 (1990, c. 3)

Putting Our Mandate to Work

The Canadian Museum of Nature's vision is to inspire understanding and respect for nature. We advance this vision by providing evidence-based insights, inspiring visitor experiences, and real engagement with nature's past, present and future.

Our Experience and Engagement division is leading our effort to deliver dynamic personal experiences, powerful dialogue and debate, expert narratives and extraordinary chronicles about our collections. A connection with the museum promises to inspire connections with nature and explorations of our natural future.

Through the activities of our Research and Collections division, the museum continues to conserve and maintain its natural history collections, for which it has developed considerable expertise in the areas of collection conservation and collection management. In the research area, activities are focused on major areas of interest and relevance to society. Our key efforts are directed towards the discovery of new knowledge, and the gathering and analysis of scientific information to increase our understanding of natural diversity.

The wealth of knowledge gained through our natural history collections and leading-edge research forms the core of the museum's exciting exhibitions and educational initiatives. As a result, our public programmes engage Canadians in guided dialogues about nature and challenge fixed opinions and views. In all activities, we aim to interpret natural history and science themes in an exciting and interactive way. We seek to increase nature literacy and science literacy among Canadians of all ages.

Our Promise, Our Position, Our Approach

Our Promise

Those who connect with the Canadian Museum of Nature will be inspired by natural history to explore our natural future.

Our Position

We are a national museum of international first rank known for evidence-based insights, inspiring visitor experiences and real and relevant engagement with nature's past, present and future.

Our Approach

We advance and package our centres of excellence in Arctic Knowledge and Exploration and Species Discovery so they focus and anchor our research, collection and education programmes while raising our profile and position.

We identify and act on collaborations with local, national and international partners that advance the strategic positioning and objectives of the museum.

We create and deliver enhanced and new programming options that keep current and attract new audiences.

We advance bold and consistent marketing, communications and identity campaigns that position the museum in the eyes of key influencers and markets across Canada and around the world.

We advance the enterprise business model of operation with clear bottom-line metrics and management accountabilities.

We cultivate meaningful relationships with visitors, members, donors, partners and stakeholders who are philosophically and financially committed to the vision and mandate of the museum and wish to play a part in its life and future.

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