This text is part of the special booklet The summer of museums
The Shawinigan institution is getting a makeover with the renovation of some of its facilities and temporary summer exhibitions.
A wind of youth is blowing over the Cité de l’énergie, created in 1997 to highlight Shawinigan’s industrial heritage and the crucial role it has played in the industrial and energy fields. The city, which has long prospered from an economic and social point of view, was the cradle of the national aluminum smelter, notably with the very first of its kind founded in Canada (the Northern Aluminum Company, which will be renamed Alcan), near of the Saint-Maurice River.
This cultural center is famous for its large multimedia, immersive and sensory shows, and its outdoor amphitheater inaugurated in 2001. A Hydro-Québec observation tower, built from an electric pylon, shows the spectacular beauty of the surrounding landscapes . Animated tours are offered in the observatory of the tower to highlight the flagship city of the industrial revolution that is Shawinigan, but also the built and landscape heritage of the region.
This interpretation center for the industry and hydroelectric development is renewing its permanent program this summer, in addition to offering two temporary exhibitions related to its educational and recreational mission.
Renovated and rejuvenated
At the Cité de l’énergie, space is used to the maximum: the central hall of the Science Center also serves as a display area. The exhibition presented there, Shawinigan through time, will be totally renovated and accessible from June 10, with panels hanging on the large sections of the wall in the form of a chronological frieze. These trace the evolution of the city and the region from before its foundation until the modern era through the prism of industrialization, energy and its effects on the environment. The interactive animation makes the experience dynamic and attractive.
Finally, the permanent exhibition Canada in the world devotes a new room to Aline Chrétien, the wife of Jean Chrétien, originally from Shawinigan, known for her political commitment and the place she occupied during the years when her husband was Prime Minister of Canada.
The entire Science Center is undergoing major renovations; indeed, this section has not seen any major changes since it opened 26 years ago. The space dedicated to families now offers interactive games designed for children, focusing in particular on the energy sources used in transport, a reading corner with science books and a breastfeeding area.
To see this summer!
From the entrance to the Cité de l’énergie, even before the ticket office level, a section offers rotating, free and temporary exhibitions. This summer, you can admire the exhibition Mauricie membership of the Regional History Society: these photos and archive documents retrace the small and the great history of the region, its exceptional heritage and its evolution through the ages.
Climate change is here… this is confirmed by this new temporary and traveling exhibition, on loan from the Canada Science and Technology Museum in Ottawa, which will be presented on June 10. It is made up of around twenty large-format panels, made from recycled materials, and presenting photos taken from the magazine National Geographic. These images illustrate planetary issues related to global climate change. This iconographic selection, embellished with interpretive texts, also pays tribute to Canada’s contribution to the fight against climate change, and in particular the technologies that have been developed there to adapt to the planetary situation.
Finally, since last summer, the Cité de l’énergie has been offering a free outdoor exhibition, At the top for 25 years! a pedestrian circuit dotted with sets designed for the great shows that have taken place there over the years. Everything is decorated with descriptive panels, as well as anecdotes that marked them. Visitors can take the trail by purchasing an audio guide.
This content was produced by the Special Publications team of the Duty, pertaining to marketing. The drafting of Duty did not take part.