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Welcome - Canadian Museum for Human Rights

Inspirational Quote

“Now is the time for great vigilance and support for our most vulnerable 2SLGBTQI+ community members.”

Michelle Douglas, Purge survivor and Executive Director of the LGBT Purge Fund

 A photograph shows a smiling young woman with short brown hair wearing a blue jacket with gold trim and a short black scarf over a white shirt. Partially obscured.

Department of National Defence, photo supplied by Michelle Douglas

Love in a Dangerous Time: Canada’s LGBT Purge

January 31, 2025 to early 2026

From the 1950s to the 1990s, the Government of Canada systematically investigated, harassed and fired 2SLGBTQI+ members of the Canadian Armed Forces, the RCMP and the federal public service destroying careers, ruining lives and inflicting psychological damage on the community.

A large group of protestors march through a city while two uniformed RCMP officers keep watch. In this black-and-white image, the protestors' signs and banners call for an end to discriminatory practices against members of the 2SLGBTQI+ community. Partially obscured.

Exhibitions

Broken Promises: The Dispossession of Japanese Canadians

September 23, 2025 to April 2026

Black-and-white image of women and children standing on a gravel road in front of a field. Partially obscured.

Strength in Numbers: The Polish Solidarity Movement

January 2020 to August 2026

A woman wearing a dress cups her hand to a megaphone placed at her mouth. She is standing elevated above a crowd of people at a gate, with two flags waving nearby. Partially obscured.

Plan your visit

Events

Annual Public Meeting

November 19, 2025

Cost: Free, registration required

Two young children stand in a tower with their backs toward the camera as they stare out at a horizon overlooking a cityscape. Partially obscured.

Culinary Night at the Museum: Celebrating Women’s Voices

Friday, March 13, 2026

Cost: $145 includes dinner, $180 includes dinner and signature drink at each stop

A woman with light skin and long, dark brown hair is using her cell phone to take a photo of a plate of gourmet food on a table. Partially obscured.

Stories

Persecution of queer Canadian soldiers in wartime

By Sarah Worthman

A man stands in dark shadows in a stark stone cell, gazing upward at bright sunlight streaming in through a barred window. Partially obscured.

Online misogyny: the “manosphere”

By Steve McCullough

A white man with short hair sits alone at a brightly lit desk in a dark room, staring at a computer monitor. Partially obscured.

Claiming our rights as a transgender family

By Rowan Jetté Knox

A smiling family of six in a living room. Partially obscured.

Dick Patrick: An Indigenous veteran’s fight for inclusion

By Steve McCullough and Jason Permanand

A snow-covered country road with mountains in the background. Partially obscured.

Explore the Museum from home

Join Museum guides for virtual tours of our exhibits and architecture. Download our mobile app to check out the entire Museum, gallery by gallery. Discover our many special online experiences.

A smiling woman with light skin is filmed on a cell phone. She is wearing a lanyard with the words “Be inspired” and standing in front of an exhibit element made of horizontal strips of wood, some decorated with Indigenous art. Partially obscured.

Photo: CMHR, Scott Gillam

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