Discover 147 years of Tradition, Courage and Resilience
For almost a century, the RMC Museum has assembled an exceptional collection of art, objects and archives that tell the story of Point Frederick, the College, and the people who have lived, learned, taught and laboured here.
The RMC Museum has existed in various forms since 1922. Early Ex-Cadets and their families sent objects to the College to commemorate the service of their classmates and family members. After the First World War, the Commandant, Lieutenant-General Sir Archibald Cameron Macdonell began collecting objects and setting up displays in the Fort Frederick Martello Tower. During the Second World War, the Museum was closed and the objects were placed in storage until 1961 when the Museum was re-opened. Since then, the RMC Museum has expanded with exhibitions located throughout the College.
In 2016, restorations began on Fort Frederick and as a result, the Museum had to move out of the Tower. These restorations will continue for several years, leaving the Museum without a designated public exhibition space. Plans are underway to build a new Museum building and to establish a temporary exhibit space until the new building is ready.
Visit RMC History and Heritage and Collections to learn more about the RMC Museum and its collections
The Museum is not open to visitors.
Foundation Statements
Vision Statement
Through its existence, the RMC Museum honours the history, heritage and traditions of the Royal Military College of Canada. It promotes understanding of the College and its role, past and present, in the life of the Nation and fosters appreciation for, and understanding of, the contributions of its Officer Cadets, students, alumni, faculty and staff in times of war or peace, at home and abroad
Mission Statement
The Mission of the RMC Museum is to serve the College, its Officer Cadets, students, alumni, faculty and staff, as well as the general public, by collecting, conserving, researching and interpreting the heritage, history, and contributions of the College, through the experiences of its cadets, students, alumni, faculty and staff. By development of dynamic exhibitions, learning programs and events, the Museum educates and informs the broader public, and provides learning and leadership opportunities for Officer Cadets.
Mandate Statement
The mandate of the RMC Museum is to collect, research and interpret the tangible and intangible history and heritage of the College and the stories of its Officer Cadets, students, alumni, faculty and staff from its opening in 1876 through the post Second-War development of the Canadian Military College system to the university status of the present day. The Museum will also interpret the history of the site through its prehistory period and the military history of the site through its colonial period, including the natural history of the site.
What We're Working On
New Museum building and temporary exhibition space
At the moment, RMC does not have a publicly accessible building for its Museum exhibitions and the Museum’s storage spaces are overcrowded. In 2016, the College started planning a new Museum building. The new building will have extensive exhibition, storage and programming spaces and will be located in a publicly accessible area of the campus.
Currie Hall Refurbishment
Sir Arthur W. Currie Hall is a unique memorial to the Canadian Corps serving in France and Belgium during the First World War. Formally opened in the 1922, the Hall was built as part of the expansion of the Royal Military College following the war. The overall design of the hall was created by Percy Erskine Nobbs and was intended to inspire pride in Canada, its military tradition and the members of the Canadian Corps.
Beginning in 2012, decorative painting that realizes the architect’s original design plan was added to the main stairwells, entrances, and foyers of Currie Building.
In 2018, conservation work began to repair and restore the existing decorative painting inside Currie Hall. The project is due to be completed this year in preparation for the Hall’s 100th anniversary.
Digitizing the Collection
In 2020, RMC hired a Collections Manager to complete a full inventory of the Museum’s entire collection. As part of this inventory, the Collections Manager will document and photograph each object.
Developing a new multi-platform exhibition
Inspired by A History of the World in 100 Objects, a project created by BBC Radio 4 and the British Museum, the Curator is developing a new multi-platform exhibition that will tell the story of RMC and Point Frederick using one hundred objects chosen from the Museum’s collection. This exhibition will focus on unique stories and objects that are often overlooked in the traditional histories of RMC.
Social Media
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Contact
Curator
Phone: (613) 541-6000 extension 3555
Fax: (613) 542-3565
Email: lena.beliveau@rmc-cmr.ca
PO Box 17000, Station Forces
Kingston, Ontario CANADA
K7K 7B4