Rooted is all about the people and the places that make us proud to call our community home.
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The Canadian Forces Museum of Aerospace Defence in North Bay offers an immersive look into Canada’s rich air and aerospace defence history. Far from a traditional museum experience, this museum is packed with interactive elements that invite visitors to sit down, press play, and explore captivating videos that tell Canada’s national defence story. “It’s very interactive,” says Bethany Aitcheson, the museum’s curator. “You don’t just walk past signs with information on them. You can engage with the displays and really get a sense of the stories behind the history.” Aitchison and interim curator Maya Hirschman were recent guests on an episode of “To North Bay with Love,” with Lisa Boivin.
Though situated in North Bay, the museum tells a broad national story of aerospace defence. "This isn’t just a North Bay museum," Aitchison clarifies. “Back in the 1990s, they decided the mission would center on aerospace defence because that’s the heart of the base here. But they wanted to cover more than North Bay’s contributions because the aerospace defence has always been a much larger story.”
That larger story spans from World War I, through the Cold War, and beyond, with displays exploring the Canadian role in air defence from its earliest days to modern times. “The decision was made to include the broader scope,” Aitchison explains. “World War I and II aren’t specific to North Bay, but they’re crucial to understanding how air defence developed and how Canada contributed. The Cold War era brings the story back to Canadian soil, but overall, it’s a national narrative.”
Marking 25 years since its founding, the museum has expanded significantly, adding display space, storage, and workspaces over time. “Last year marked our 25th anniversary,” Aitchison reflects. “It’s been wonderful to see us grow, both in our physical space and our impact. We’ve expanded our footprint in the building, allowing us to develop and improve operations.”
The collection includes donated artifacts, but some pieces are issued directly by the government, offering a fascinating array of items for visitors. "Most of our collection, like in many museums, is donated by people who’ve kept items from their careers," says Aitchison. “We’re a relatively young museum, so we get items that individuals have collected over time. But we also have government-issued artifacts, like radar consoles, aircraft parts, and even cockpits of specific aircraft, which people can’t exactly keep in their basements.”
Despite being a smaller museum, visitor numbers are growing, with over 3,100 guests last year. "We’re small, and we know that, but we’re seeing steady growth,” Aitchison notes. “A lot of our traction comes from tourists because many locals are already familiar with what’s here. Most out-of-town visitors find us through tourism websites, and we’ve seen a big uptick from Southern Ontario in recent years.”
To engage a diverse audience, the museum hosts activities and programs for children and community groups. “We have some interactive elements, but we also plan engagement activities like scavenger hunts for younger visitors,” Aitchison says. “It really helps extend visits for those who aren’t into just looking at aircraft and equipment. And we run educational programs for grades three through nine, as well as for groups like Cubs, Scouts, and Cadets.”
For Aitchison, the museum’s uniqueness lies in the personal stories that fuel the exhibits, particularly the history of North Bay’s Underground Complex. "I love every part of this museum,” she admits, “but the history of the Underground Complex is a particular favorite. It’s so unique to North Bay, and it’s a privilege to share the experiences of those who served here. I’ve listened to so many stories from aircrew over the years. I’m not a fighter pilot, but hearing their stories allows me to retell them here, and it brings this history to life in a really special way.”
As the museum celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force, its dedicated team remains committed to preserving and sharing Canada’s aerospace defence legacy with visitors from all backgrounds.
That team now includes Maya Hirschman, who has stepped in as interim museum curator while Aitchison is on maternity leave. Hirschman brings a wealth of past museum experience to the role and a fresh perspective on how to engage visitors.
"I'll have the opportunity to develop some displays, augment others, and lead programs with school and community groups," Hirschman says, adding that her career in museums wasn’t exactly planned. "I didn’t mean to be a museum curator, or a manager, or any of the roles I've held—it just happened,” she laughs. “Growing up in Toronto, my mom took us to the Toronto Zoo and the Royal Ontario Museum, and before that, when we lived in New York, we visited the American Museum of Natural History. So museums have always been part of my life. Some of my earliest memories are in museums.”
Hirschman’s path began unexpectedly with a high school co-op at the Royal Ontario Museum. “I was in Grade 12, working on traveling exhibits for communities across the country. My project was about bats—‘Listen to the Night,’ I think it was called. It was about Ontario’s bats, and it’s still traveling, as far as I know. I had no idea at 17 that this was the beginning of my career,” she explains. Hirschman tried to pursue other fields, but ultimately, an art history degree with minors in history and English set her back on the museum path.
By the time she was 26, Hirschman realized the unique value of museums for people who might face barriers to accessing resources. “That moment made me think, this might be it. And it was—a turning point,” she says. “I've been working in museums since then.” Hirschman is also pursuing a PhD in museums and says her academic and professional journey has cemented her belief in museums as places of connection and the Canadian Forces Museum of Aerospace Defence is no exception. “Here, not everything is behind glass,” Hirschman points out. “You can touch things, hear things, even smell things that connect you to the past. The scent of old electronics, for instance—that’s unique, and people who’ve worked on them instantly recognize it. In a museum like this, you get that sensory experience that brings history closer.”
One of her favourite elements to highlight in the museum is the clothing worn by military personnel. “Clothing is something universally relatable. We’ve all had an item we loved or wore out, and there’s a shared experience in that,” she explains. “Up here, for instance, that bomber jacket looks heavy; it looks warm. You don’t have to have worn a bomber jacket to feel that connection.”
When it comes to logistics, Aitchison and her team have made the museum accessible while balancing their resources. "We’re open to the public on Saturdays from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., but we also take appointments throughout the week," Aitchison explains. "It helps us manage our time better, and we can give personalized tours." The museum is free to enter, but donations are welcome to support its operations. “There’s no required fee to visit. However, donations help us immensely in keeping the museum running and improving. If we want to buy new display cases, put on programs, or build new exhibits, much of that comes from the funds we generate ourselves,” she says.
The museum’s gift shop and guided tour fees also contribute to the budget, while previous fundraising events have helped cover specific needs. “Every bit goes back into enhancing the visitor experience,” Aitchison adds, underscoring that, at its core, the museum relies on community support.
As we pause this Remembrance Day to honour our veterans, the Canadian Forces Museum of Aerospace Defence stands as a vital space where the stories, struggles, and sacrifices of Canada’s military are preserved for future generations.
Hirschman says, “Museums can be spaces where people connect with friends, with their traditions, their history—they provide touchstones for memory, cultural memory, social memory. They teach; they inspire curiosity.”
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