If the souls of every slain soldier in American history gathered in the hereafter, half of them would be veterans of the same conflict. The Civil War was, by a large margin, our southern neighbour’s most existential threat since its founding. And yet, this story is seldom told from a Canadian perspective, despite the significant role that our soon-to-be nation played in those four years of strife. The Canadian War Museum is telling that story now, with its temporary exhibition, Close to Conflict.
The exhibition begins with a thorough overview of the root cause of the Civil War — slavery. Through authentic artifacts, short videos, and informational panels, I learned the story of how this horrific practice was reinvented into an intercontinental industrial complex following the rediscovery of the Americas.
After setting the stage, the exhibition went on to cover the Civil War itself. In particular, there was a focus on the role that Canada played as a location for slaves to escape to, and the role that these Black Canadians played in their communities and in fighting for an end to slavery.
Photo: Mark Holleron for Canadian War Museum
More broadly, the exhibition explores how the Civil War shaped Canadian society, politics, and the military, and how we still live with its legacies today.
The exhibition’s chronological structure made me feel as though I was walking through a meticulously crafted narrative of tragedy and heroism, brought to life by weapons, coins, and manuscripts written by actual slaves. At one point, I saw a young boy no older than eight and his grandfather both staring at a Union uniform and bayonet with equal fascination in their eyes.
From this exhibition, I learned so much about a period in history that I had only known as a collection of dates and battle names from my 9th grade history class. Afterwards, I spent a couple more hours visiting other exhibits at the museum.
Close to Conflict: Canada and the Civil War is a temporary exhibition at the Canadian War Museum that runs until February 28, 2027. From now until September 7, children and infants aged 0 to 17 will have free admission to all museum exhibits, while youth aged 18 to 24 will have 50 percent off regular prices.
The Canadian War Museum is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with extended hours on Thursdays until 7:00 p.m.
Header image: Don Masters for Canadian War Museum
