Pop-Up Exhibition Co-Curated by Practicum Students and Centre for Public History
In Winter 2025, two practicum students, Amber Collins and Gracie Henneberry, working with a local, non-profit organization called Ban the Bomb Ottawa and the United Nations in Canada’s National Capital Region Branch, conducted research and prepared both posters and educational materials in support of a travelling exhibition commemorating the 80th anniverary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This exhibition was developed initially by the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, and in addition to featuring historical images of life in the cities before and after the bombing, also features the creative work of survivors seeking to make sense of their experiences. David Dean and John Walsh of the Centre for Public History collaborated on the planning and development of this exhibition with Debbie Grisdale and Elinor Mueller of Ban the Bomb Ottawa, including its installation at St. John the Evangelist Church in late May and Ottawa City Hall in early August. Both installations exceeded expectations in terms of how many visited the exhibit and the impact it had on visitors of all ages. One of the reasons for this impact was the work done by Amber and Gracie which made clear Canada’s historical involvement in atomic weapon development, including the Manhattan Project, as well as the enduring legacies of these histories both nationally and locally for local communities.
The work was featured on CBC News (“Ottawa marks 80 years since bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki“) and on Perspective (“St. John the Evangelist Ottawa to host an exhibit on the devastating impacts the 1945 atomic bombings“).