Award for Distinguished Service
The Award of Distinguished Service recognizes significant contributions by individuals to the Canadian museum sector throughout the course of their careers. This year we are fortunate to honour four outstanding individuals.
Jisgang Nika Collison
For more than 20 years, Jisgang Nika Collison has worked tirelessly to advance repatriation efforts across the globe, advocate for reconciliation, establish Haida museology, and build a network of mutual respect, cooperation, and trust across the broader arts, culture, and heritage sector that is actively contributing to decolonization and reconciliation efforts across Canada, the U.S., and beyond.
Nika Collison has worked with the Haida Gwaii Museum at Kay Llnagaay since 2000 and is now Executive Director and Curator where she works in the field of Haida language, arts, and culture.Through her role at the Haida Gwaii Museum, she has helped to bring Haida values to every aspect of the museum and its role in the community. Nika has used her voice and knowledge to help push organizations to advance their reconciliation work, including the CMA by sitting on their Reconciliation Council, and with the BCMA through partnership on a collaborative provincial conference. She is also an author and editor of many books, including the Indigenous Repatriation Handbook. Jisgang Nika Collison is an internationally respected figure in the museum sector who’s impact and network of meaningful relationships is helping to transform Canada’s museum sector for the better.
Stéphane Le Tirant
Photo — Jean Francois Hamelin.
I’ve had the good fortune to participate in the creation of several Insectariums and butterfly aviaries, and in the design of several museums around the world. I’ve curated three successful exhibitions, including the Abécédaire des insectes for the inauguration of the Grande Bibliothèque in Montreal.
However, the new Insectarium, with its new insect collection in the Dome, and the Grand Vivarium, with its butterflies and plants, as well as the integration of other living invertebrates, presented a great challenge for the various museum teams. I believe I have successfully contributed to the renewal of the insect collection and the development of interesting themes that will amaze visitors while enabling them to acquire knowledge about these small animals so useful to humans and the environment. Working with technicians, museologists, architects and exhibition designers was once again a very enriching experience. It was great teamwork.
“As a scientist, I’ve always considered myself very lucky to work in the largest complex of science museums in Canada, with the Insectarium, the Botanical Garden, the Biodôme, the Montréal Planetarium and the Biosphère. For me, working in a museum is the best job in the world, and receiving this award was a great surprise and a great joy.”
— Stéphane Le Tiran
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