News release details

Free tickets for preview tours available online September 3 

People eager to be among the very first to look inside the new Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR) on September 20 and 21 can book free preview‐tour tickets online starting next Wednesday, September 3 at 10 a.m. CDT, Museum officials announced today.

The tours will provide up to 9,000 people with a glimpse inside Canada's stunning new national museum before regular operations and paid public admissions begin on September 27. The free, one‐hour guided tours through four of the Museum's 11 galleries will be offered on a time‐ticketed basis as part of opening celebrations. 

The Museum has received dozens of inquiries by e‑mail, phone and social media from people eager to participate in the free public tours since they were first announced in late July.

"The Canadian Museum for Human Rights is committed to ensuring as many people as possible can take a look inside their new museum during the inaugural weekend," said President and CEO Stuart Murray. "We're very pleased that interest seems to be so high."

The tours will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, September 20 and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, September 21. Although admission is free, tickets will be issued in advance with specific tour times to help manage line‐ups and reduce waits. The tickets will be available on the Museum's website. 

Ticketholders will print their tickets at home and present them at the check‐in tent outside the Museum on Israel Asper Way a half‐hour prior to their tour time. Up to four tickets can be reserved at one time, and visitors can specify whether they would like a tour in English or in French. For those without access to a computer, a limited number of tickets will also be available at Winnipeg Public Libraries. 

The Museum's public preview tours are part of a full weekend of activities and events in celebration of the Museum's opening. Earlier this summer, the Museum announced the line‐up for its free, Saturday‐evening concert with some of Canada's top musicians. The full line‐up for the Museum's opening weekend 

RightsFest, featuring more than 25 different performances and activities for all ages, will be unveiled later this week.

Backgrounder

When will the free preview tour tickets be available?

Reservations open at 10 a.m. CDT on September 3, 2014 on the Museum's website at humanrights.ca. A limited number of tickets will be available through Winnipeg Public Libraries for those without access to a computer.

What will people see?

Visitors will have a brief look at four of the Museum's galleries. With 11 galleries and 24,000 square metres of floor space, it would take days to experience everything inside the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. To accommodate as many people as possible during opening weekend, the free guided tours are designed as a preview to the full Museum experience, which will begin on September 27, 2014. 

How long will the preview tours be?

Each guided tour will be approximately one hour.

Will the Museum offer regular paid admission as well on September 20 and 21?

No. To maximize public access during the inaugural celebrations, the free public preview tours are the only opportunity for the public to visit selected Museum galleries on opening weekend. Regular paid admissions will begin on September 27, 2014.

What about access for those with limited mobility or other needs?

The preview tours are designed to be accessible to everyone. The Museum building is fully accessible. American Sign Language interpretation and other accommodations are available upon request.

What if all the tickets are gone? 

The Museum will make nearly 9,000 free preview tickets available over opening weekend to accommodate as many people as possible. For those who are unable to reserve a ticket in advance, the Museum will offer limited walk‐up opportunities if spots are available on the days. However wait times may be significant and access cannot be guaranteed.