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Rental fee: No rental fee.*

Space requirements: 100 to 140 square metres

Right view of a structure of vertical wood panels covered in patterns of images, with a white wooden door at the centre. Partially obscured.

Photo: CMHR, Aaron Cohen

A travelling exhibition developed by the Canadian Museum for Human Rights and Artist Carey Newman

The Witness Blanket is a powerful art installation created by master carver Carey Newman to recognize the atrocities of the residential school era, honour the children and symbolize ongoing reconciliation.

Inspired by a woven blanket, this cedar‐framed artwork is made of hundreds of items from residential schools, Survivors, churches, governments and other cultural sites across Canada. Each item tells a story of loss, strength, resilience and pride.

The Witness Blanket is currently housed at the CMHR awaiting installation in our core galleries. Two reproductions have been created for offer to other venues, allowing its Stories and messages to continue being shared. In these wood‐framed reproductions, direct‐printed wood panels take the place of the original artifacts and interior frames.

*Venues are responsible for incoming shipping costs.

A white door decorated with text and images flanked by vertical wood panels covered in patterns of images.
Photo: CMHR, Aaron Cohen
Right view of a structure of vertical wood panels covered in patterns of images, with a white wooden door at the centre.
Photo: CMHR, Aaron Cohen
Left view of a structure of vertical wood panels covered in patterns of images, with a white wooden door at the centre.
Photo: CMHR, Aaron Cohen

Tour schedule

We are currently booking this tour for dates into 2026. Venues will be added to the official tour schedule once dates are finalized.

  • Neil John Maclean Health Science Library (Winnipeg, MB): August 6, 2019 – October 31, 2019
  • Chapel Gallery – North Battleford (North Battleford, SK): November 20, 2019 – January 8, 2020
  • Mount Royal University (Calgary, Alberta): March 9, 2020 – April 30, 2020
  • Winnipeg Airport Authority – Arrivals Gate (Winnipeg, Manitoba): June 1, 2020 – August 31, 2020
  • Simcoe County Museum (Minesing, Ontario): September 28, 2020 – November 30, 2020
  • Woodland Cultural Centre (Brantford, Ontario): December 21, 2020 – March 27, 2021
  • Vancouver Island Regional Library (Nanaimo, British Columbia): June 1, 2021 – September 1, 2021
  • Laichwiltach Family Life Society (Campbell River, British Columbia): September 20, 2021 – October 30, 2021
  • Arts Centre at Cedar Hill (Saanich, British Columbia): November 8, 2021 – December 10, 2021
  • Kelowna Art Gallery (Kelowna, British Columbia): January 15, 2022 – April 10, 2022
  • Lester Centre for the Arts (Prince Rupert, British Columbia): May 4, 2022 – May 31, 2022
  • Exploration Place at Fraser Fort‐George Regional Museum (Prince George, British Columbia): June 20, 2022 – August 20, 2022
  • Kwanlin Dun Cultural Centre (Whitehorse, Yukon): September 26, 2022 – December 16, 2022
  • Inuvialuit Regional Corporation (IRC) Inuvik (Inuvik, Northwest Territories): January 23, 2023 – March 31, 2023
  • RCMP Heritage Centre (Regina, Saskatchewan): February 13 – March 24, 2023
  • Northern Life Museum and Cultural Centre (NLMCC) (Fort Smith, Northwest Territories): May 1, 2023 – July 31, 2023
  • NorVa Centre (Flin Flon, Manitoba): June 12, 2023 – July 22, 2023
  • Thompson Rivers University (Kamloops, British Columbia): October 1, 2023 – January 8, 2024
  • Harris Learning Library (North Bay, Ontario): January 8, 2024 – February 14, 2024
  • West Vancouver Memorial Library (West Vancouver, British Columbia): January 22, 2024 – March 8, 2024
  • Queen’s University (Kingston, Ontario): February 28, 2024 – June 7, 2024
  • Welland Museum (Welland, Ontario): March 4, 2024 – April 12, 2024
  • Stelly's Secondary School (Saanich, British Columbia): March 14, 2024 – May 7, 2024
  • Museum of Surrey (Surrey, British Columbia): May 13, 2024 – July 22, 2024
  • Nelson Museum, Archives & Gallery (Nelson, British Columbia): August 5, 2024 – September 20, 2024
  • Stratford Hall (Vancouver, British Columbia): October 1, 2024 – November 29, 2024
  • Miramichi Valley High School (Miramichi, New Brunswick): October 21, 2024 – November 8, 2024
  • Bathurst Education Centre (Bathurst, New Brunswick): November 11, 2024 — November 29, 2024
  • Chilliwack Museum (Chilliwack, British Columbia): December 2024 – April 2025 (Final Exhibition Dates TBC)
  • Canadian Museum of History (Gatineau, Quebec): February 2025 – May 2025 (Final Exhibition Dates TBC)
  • Elk Island Public Schools (Sherwood Park, Alberta): May 2025 – June 2025 (Final Exhibition Dates TBC)
  • Chimczuk Museum (Windsor, Ontario): June 2025 – September 2025 (Final Exhibition Dates TBC)
  • Trinity United Church (Edmonton, Alberta): September 2025 – October 2025 (Final Exhibition Dates TBC)
  • Museum of Lennox and Addington (Napanee, Ontario): October 2025 – December 2025 (Final Exhibition Dates TBC)
  • Quesnel Tillicum Society Native Friendship Centre (Quesnel, British Columbia): November 2025 – December 2025 (Final Exhibition Dates TBC)

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