Past Award Recipients

Year

          Award Recipients

2023
  • Lori Nelson, Director (Retired), the MUSE: Lake of the Woods Museum and Douglas Family Art Centre (Distinguished Career Award of Excellence)
  • Deanna Way, Executive Director, Quinte Natural History Museum (Promising Leadership Award of Excellence)
  • Phil Spencer, Toronto Railway Museum (Volunteer Service Award of Excellence)
  • Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre, "Reclaiming Shingwauk Hall" (Award of Excellence in Exhibitions)
  • Pickering Museum Village, "Greenwood Blacksmith Shop" (Award of Excellence in Exhibitions - Honourable Mention)
  • Laurie Kilgour-Walsh and Art Gallery of Hamilton, "Artful Moments: Shared Learning" (Award of Excellence in Publications)
  • Textile Museum of Canada, "Gathering" (Award of Excellence in Community Engagement)
  • Bytown Museum, "Exhibition Renewal Project" (Award of Excellence in Special Projects)
  • York Region District School Board Museum and Archives, "No. 2 Construction Battalion" (Award of Excellence in Special Projects - Honourable Mention)
  • Shannon Quigley and Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery, "Creative Connections: Arts & Dementia" (Award of Excellence in Programs)
Learn more about the 2023 Awards Recipients here!
2022
  • Sarah Quinton, Emeritus Curatorial Director, Textile Museum of Canada (Distinguished Career Award of Excellence)
  • Nahed Mansour, Senior Manager of Gallery Engagement, Royal Ontario Museum (Promising Leadership Award of Excellence)
  • Madeline Smolarz, Office, Operations, and Financial Manager, Oakville Galleries (Promising Leadership Award of Excellence - Honourable Mention)
  • John Caldwell, Volunteer, Lang Pioneer Village Museum (Volunteer Service Award of Excellence)
  • Oil Museum of Canada, "Exhibition and Building Renewal Project" (Award of Excellence in Exhibitions)
  • Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery, "Disruption" (Award of Excellence in Exhibitions - Honourable Mention)
  • Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum, "Making Her Mark: The Women of Niagara-on-the-Lake" (Award of Excellence in Publications)
Learn more about the 2022 Awards Recipients here!
2021
  • Karen Bachmann, Director and Curator, Timmins Museum: National Exhibition Centre (Distinguished Career Award of Excellence)
  • Hailey Hollingshead, Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives (Promising Leadership Award of Excellence)
  • Katherine Bourgon, Volunteer, Canadian Clay & Glass Gallery (Volunteer Service Award of Excellence)
  • Hamilton Civic Museums and Civicplan, “Reimagine Our Museums" (Award of Excellence in Community Engagement, WOW Distinction)
  • Niagara Falls History Museum, “The Poppy Project” (Award of Excellence in Community Engagement - Honourable Mention)
  • Canadian Automotive Museum, “Oshawa's Automotive Community” (Award of Excellence in Exhibitions)
  • Christina Sydorko, “Oil Museum of Canada Virtual Education”  (Award of Excellence in Programs)
  • Thunder Bay Art Gallery, “Virtual Field Trip for Piitwewetam: Making is Medicine”  (Award of Excellence in Programs - Honourable Mention)
  • Diefenbunker: Canada’s Cold War Museum, “Safeguarding Our Shelter: Visitor Experience Renewal at the Diefenbunker” (Award of Excellence in Special Projects)
  • King Heritage & Cultural Centre, “Stories of King: An Online 3D Exhibition with Treasured, Inc.” (Award of Excellence in Special Projects - Honourable Mention)
  • The Canadian Clay & Glass Gallery, “Public Art in Glass - Publication” (Award of Excellence in Publications)
Learn more about the 2021 Awards recipients here!

Watch the 2021 Awards recipient videos

 

2020

 

  • Gayle McIntyre, Program Coordinator (retired), Fleming College Heritage Programs (Distinguished Career Award of Excellence)
  • Pailagi Jaimin Pandya, Museum Program Officer, Scarborough Museum, City of Toronto (Promising Leadership Award of Excellence)
  • Susan Jama, Assistant Curator & Program Coordinator, Toronto Ward Museum (Promising Leadership Award of Excellence - Honourable Mention)
  • Graeme Watson, Volunteer Director, Murney Tower Museum  (Volunteer Service Award of Excellence)
  • Alice Borrowman, Middleville and District Museum (Volunteer Service Award of Excellence - Honourable Mention)
  • Kay-Nah-Chi-Wah-Nung Historical Centre, “Collections at Kay-Nah-Chi-Wah-Nung" (Award of Excellence in Special Projects, WOW Distinction)
  • Myseum of Toronto, “Wigwam Chi-Chemung” (Award of Excellence in Special Projects, Honourable Mention)
  • Whitchurch-Stouffville Museum & Community Centre, “Archaeology Alive!: The Jean Baptiste Lainé Site in Whitchurch-Stouffville” (Award of Excellence in Exhibitions)
  • THEMUSEUM, “Afterlife: A Seánce Experience”  (Award of Excellence in Exhibitions - Honourable Mention)
  • Grey Roots Museum & Archives, “Facing the Flames: The History of Firefighting in Grey County” (Award of Excellence in Community Engagement)
  • Bruce County Museum & Cultural Centre, “Riding the Rails” (Award of Excellence in Community Engagement - Honourable Mention)
 
Learn more about the 2020 Awards recipients here!

 

Watch the 2020 Awards recipient videos

 

 

2019

 

  • Marty Brent Manager (Retired), Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives (Distinguished Career Award of Excellence
  • Bill Jeffery, Volunteer, Textile Museum of Canada (Volunteer Service Award of Excellence)
  • Brockville Museum, Travel Trunk: Unpacking Brockville's Cultural Stories (Award of Excellence in Exhibitions)
  • Craigleith Heritage Depot, REEL History & VR Films: The Mary Ward and Pathway (Award of Excellence in Special Projects)
  • Dundas Museum and Archives, Finding Hazel (Award of Excellence in Programs)
  • Khadija Aziz, Community Voices, Textile Museum of Canada (Award of Excellence in Community Engagement)

Learn more about the 2019 Awards recipients here!

Group photo of award recipients holding their certificates and award statuettes

2018
  • Rona Rustige, Curator, Glanmore National Historic Site (Distinguished Career Award of Excellence)
  • Gracia Dyer Jalea, Founding Executive Director, Toronto Ward Museum (Promising Leadership Award of Excellence)
  • Warren Stauch, Volunteer, Waterloo Region Museums (Volunteer Service Award of Excellence)
  • Waterloo Region Museum, "Trailblazing: Women in Canada since 1867" (Award of Excellence in Exhibitions)
  • Markham Museum, "Geared for Growing" (Award of Excellence in Exhibitions - Honourable Mention)
  • Canada Science and Technology Museum, "Canada Science and Technology Museum Renewal" (Award of Excellence in Special Projects)
  • Halton Region Heritage Services, "Partners in Time" (Award of Excellence in Programs)
  • John Summers, "Creating Exhibits That Engage: A Manual for Museums and Historical Organizations" (Award of Excellence in Publications)

Learn more about the 2018 Awards recipients here!

Group photo of award recipients holding their certificates standing in front of an OMA banner.

 

 2017
  • Lisa Terech, Community Engagement Coordinator, Oshawa Museum (Promising Leadership)
  • Senta Ross, Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery (Volunteer Service, WOW Distinction)
  • Museums and Heritage Services, City of Toronto, "Beatles 50 T.O. featuring When the Beatles Rocked Toronto: Metropolitan Life & Music in the Mid-60s" (Awards of Excellence in Special Projects)
  • Diefenbunker, Canada's Cold War Museum, "Escape the Diefenbunker" (Award of Excellence in Programs)
  • Archives of Ontario, "Family Ties: Ontario Turns 150" (Award of Excellence in Exhibitions)
  • Waterloo Region Museum, "City on Edge" (Award of Excellence in Exhibitions- Honourable Mention)
  • Atikokan Centennial Museum, "Revealing the Regalia: Honouring Anishinaabe culture through dance"  (Award of Excellence in Community Engagement)

       Learn more about the 2017 Awards recipients here!

Group photo of all award recipients in front of an OMA banner.

 2016

 

  • Mark Badham, Curator, Miller Museum of Geology, Queens University (Distinguished Career)
  • Kathryn Jamieson, Curator Director, Goulbourn Museum (Promising Leadership)
  • Gilbert Rice, Grey Roots Museum (Volunteer Service)
  • Tania Gilchrist, Bruce County Museum & Cultural Centre (Volunteer Service - Honourable Mention)
  • Guelph Museums, "In Flanders Fields at 100: Time to Remember" (Awards of Excellence in Special Projects, WOW Distinction)
  • Niagara Falls Museums and Chiefswood NHS, "Discovering Kaná:ta: Exploring the Culture and History of the Haudenosaunee (Six Nations)" (Award of Excellence in Programs)
  • St. Catharines Museum & Welland Canals Centre, "The Travelling Museum" (Award of Excellence in Programs - Honourable Mention)
  • Black Creek Pioneer Village, "Breaking the Silence: Stories of the British Home Children, 1869-1948" (Award of Excellence in Exhibitions)
  • Britt Welter-Nolan, Myseum Intersections (Award of Excellence in Community Engagement)

        Learn more about the 2016 Awards recipients here!

  Group photo of 2016 awards recipients standing in a row holding their certificates.

 

 

 

 

2015

 

  • Cathy Blackbourn, Instructor, Museum Studies, University of Toronto (Distinguished Career)
  • The Diefenbunker: Canada’s Cold War Museum, Conflict Resolution Workshops (Award of Excellence in Programs, WOW Dinstinction)
  • Archives of Ontario Dear Sadie Exhibit Team, "Dear Sadie: Love, Lives and Remembrance from Ontario's First World War" (Award of Excellence in Exhibitions)
  • Barry Lord and Maria Piacente, Co-editors, "The Manual of Museum Exhibitions, 2nd Edition" (Award of Excellence in Publications)
  • Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives, Sikh Heritage Month at PAMA, April 2015 (Award of Excellence in Community Engagement)

        Learn more about the 2015 Awards recipients here!

Representatives of the Peel Art Gallery Museum & Archives receive their award

 

 

 

 

 

Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives - Community Engagement

 

 

2014

 

  • Dr. Shanna Dunlop, Curator, Fanshawe Pioneer Village (Promising Leadership)
  • Janet Cobban, Curator, John R. Park Homestead Conservation Area (Distinguished Career)
  • St. Catharines Museum & Welland Canals Centre, the "aMuse" event series (Award of Excellence in Community Engagement)
  • Canada Science and Technology Museum, "The Summer Institute for Elementary Teachers" (Award of Excellence in Programs)
  • Niagara Falls History Museum "[No] Vacancy: Honeymoon Suites or By-the-Week, Motel Culture in Niagara" (Award of Excellence in Exhibitions)
  • TIFF "David Cronenberg: Evolution", "David Cronenberg Virtual Exhibition", and "Body/Mind/Change" (Award of Excellence in Special Projects)
  • Sioux Lookout Community Museum "Sioux Lookout Community Museum’s Mobile App" (Award of Excellence in Publications)

         Learn more about the 2014 Awards recipients here!

Group photo of Awards of Excellence recipients in front of OMA banner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2013

 

  • Laura Gibbs (Promising Leadership)
  • Aneesh Murali Mohan (Promising Leadership - Honorable Mention)
  • Ruth Freeman (Distinguished Career)
  • Raphael Yu (Museum Benefactor)
  • The Bata Shoe Museum “Roger Vivier: Process to Perfection” (Award of Excellence in Publications)
  • George R. Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art “Transformation by Fire: Women Overcoming Violence Through Clay” (Award of Excellence in Exhibitions)
  • Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation and the City of Toronto Museum Service “Outcome of the War of 1812: First Nations Betrayed” (Award of Excellence in Community Engagement)
  • Peel Art Gallery, Museum, and Archives “Interactive Map of Peel” (Award of Excellence in Special Projects)
  • Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) “TIFF Kids digiPlaySpace” (Award of Excellence in Programs)
  • The W. Garfield Weston Foundation (Museum Benefactor – Organization)

Learn more about the 2013 Awards recipients here!

Ruth Freeman - Distinguished Career

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ruth Freeman - Distinguished Career

 

  2012

  • Brian Malcolm (Distinguished Career)
  • Katrina Urban (Promising Leadership)
  • Canadian War Museum “1812 Exhibition Project” (Award of Excellence in Exhibitions)
  • Canadian War Museum “The Human Library” (Award of Excellence in Community Engagement)
  • Halton Region Museum “Jeff’s Home” (Award of Excellence in Programs)
  • Jean-Bernard Caron – Royal Ontario Museum “Burgess Shale Virtual Museum”(Award of Excellence in Publications)
  • Lake of the Woods Museum “Lake of the Woods Museum Mobile Tour” (Award of Excellence in Special Projects)

 Brian Malcolm - Distinguished Career

 

 

 

 

Brian Malcolm - Distinguished Career

 

 

2011

 

  • Bev Dietrich (Lifetime Achievement)
  • Corporation of the City of Peterborough “Peterborough Museum & Archives Partnership with the Arts and Heritage Programs of Fleming College” (Award of Excellence in Corporate Service)
  • Haldimand Museum “Haldimand Museums Educational Resources – WWI”
  • The National Gallery of Canada and the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art “(NGC@MOCCA)”

2011 Award Recipients

2011 Award Recipients

 

 

2010

 

  • Dave Benson (Lifetime Achievement)
  • Allan Symons (Lifetime Achievement)
  • Adele Espina “For King and County: Solders of the Haliburton Highlands” Grey Roots Museum and Archives “The Good People: Know Our Stories, Know Us”
  • Museums of Mississauga "Benares DVD Project"
  • Ottawa Museum Network “Enhancing Conservation Standard”

Dave Benson - Lifetime Achievement Award

Dave Benson - Lifetime Achievement Award

 

  2009

  • Daniel O’Brien (Lifetime Achievement)
  • Bruce County Museum and Cultural Centre, Southampton “Wizardry & Wonders”
  • Council of Heritage Organizations in Ottawa “This Week in Heritage / Patrimoine Hebdomadaire”
  • Friends of Joseph Schneider Haus, Kitchener “This Old Haus: A Place in Time”(Award of Excellence in Publications)
  • The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Museum “Arresting Images: Mug Shots from the OPP Museum”

 Daniel O’Brien - Lifetime Achievement Award                                                                                                                                                                                             

Daniel O’Brien - Lifetime Achievement Award

 

 

2008

 

  • Bill Yeager
  • Bytown Museum “Multilingual Audio Tour”
  • Friends of the Museums of Mississauga and the Museums of Mississauga “The Log Cabin at Bradley Museum”
  • Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority “Balls Falls Centre for Conservation”(Award of Excellence in Corporate Contribution)
  • Textile Museum of Canada (Award of Excellence in Collection Digitization and Online Program Development)
  • Upper Canada Village, Jordan Heritage Resources, Tactile Vision Inc. “The Museum Access Pilot Project”   

 

2007

 

 

  • Grey Roots Museum and Archives “L’Chaim – To Life: The Story of the Beth Ezekiel Synagogue” (Outstanding Contribution to the Ontario Museum Community)
  • The Town of St. Mary’s Museum (Outstanding Contribution to the Ontario Museum Community)
  • Wellington County Museum and Archives “If These Walls Could Speak: The Wellington County House of Industry and Refuge 1877-1947” (Outstanding Contribution to the Ontario Museum Community)

 

2006

 

  • Community of Ottawa “Museum Sustainability Plan”
  • Heritage Sarnia-Lambton “DVD Project – ‘Sarnia-Lambton: Just Passing Through’”
  • Museum on the Boyne “A Japanese Kimono Exhibit”
  • Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Museum “The OPP’s Best Friend – Celebrating 40 Years of the OPP’s Canine Unit”
  • Veterans’ Green Project Committee – Heritage Resources, City of Waterloo “Veteran’s Green Project”

 

2005

 

  • Dr. M. Christine Castle

 

2004

 

  • Marilynn Havelka
  • Gayle McIntyre
  • Kathryn Pankowski
  • Chatham-Kent Museum “The Sulman Mummy” Project (Award of Merit in Research)
  • Lanark County Museums Association “The Travelling Exhibition Project” (Award of Merit in Exhibitions)
  • Parkdale Collegiate Institute (Diane Sullivan) “The Legacy of High Park Oral History Project” (Award of Merit in Programming)
  • Strong Voice for Heritage Coalition, Ottawa (Award of Merit for their 2004 Advocacy Work)

 

2003

 

  • Bonita Johnson-deMatteis
  • Katrina Pyke
  • Stephanie McMullen“Great County Black Veterans’ Memorial Book” (Award of Merit in Research and Writing)
  • Doon Heritage Crossroads, City of Waterloo “The History of Seagram Plant in Waterloo” (Award of Merit in Programming & Interpretation)
  • Guelph Museums (Bev Dietrich and Kathleen Wall) “Growing Up in Guelph”(Award of Merit in Programming & Interpretation)
  • Grey County Museum “From Slavery to Freedom: African-Canadians in Grey County” (Award of Merit in Programming & Interpretation)
  • Red Lake Museum “Red Lake Heritage Centre” (Award of Merit in Fund Raising)

Katrina Pyke - Award Recipient

Katrina Pyke - Award Recipient

 

 

2002


  • Dawn Roach Bowen
  • Gail Dexter Lord & Barry Lord
  • London Regional Children's Museum "Reach for the Stars" (Award of Merit in Museum Management)
  • Oshawa Community Museum and Archives "Lakefront Memories: A Memory Book Project" (Award of Merit in Programming)
  • Royal Botanical Gardens "Colour Comes Alive!" (Award of Merit in Programming & Interpretation)
  • Royal Ontario Museum "Regional Museum Program" (Award of Merit for Outstanding Achievement in the Museum Field in Ontario)
  • Wellington County Museum and Archives "Far From Home : A Soldier's Live of the Front" (Award of Merit in Programming & Interpretation)

 

2001

 

  • Charles Doubrough (Outstanding Volunteer)
  • James Hunter (Significant Contribution to Museums During a Period of 10 or more Years)
  • Julia Matthews (Significant Contribution to Museums During a Period of 10 or more Years)
  • William Moore
  • Doon Heritage Crossroads (Award of Merit in Accessibility)
  • Guelph Museums "Rogers @ Home: Growing up in Guelph Children's Museum" (Award of Merit in Programming)
  • Agnes Etherington Art Centre "Museopathy Project"
  • Guelph Museum, Peterborough Centennial Museum and Archives, Welland Historical Museum, & West Parry Sound District Museum (Travelling Exhibit Partnership Program Outstanding Achievement)

 

2000

 

  • Elise Harding-Davis
  • Barbara Ribey (Significant Contribution to Museums During a Period of 10 or more Years)
  • Sharron Skevington (Award of Merit in Programming & Interpretation)
  • Carol Sprachman
  • Timmins Museum N.E.C., Timmins Underground Gold Mine Tour, Tourism Timmins, and Ivey-League Consulting Services "City of Timmins CD-ROM Collective" (Award of Merit in Research, Writing, Electronics, & Publication)

 

1999

 

  • Margaret Anderson-Herrmann (Outstanding Volunteer)
  • Janet Chessell (Significant Contribution to Museums During a Period of 10 or more Years)
  • Henry Taylor
  • Hamilton Military Museum & the Nelson High School History Department "Reflections of a Darker Time" (Award of Merit in Programming & Interpretation)
  • Peel Heritage Complex - Literacy Project Team "I Do, I Do: An Exploration of Wedding Traditions in Peel 1850-1999" (Award of Merit in Programming & Interpretation)

 

1998

 

  • Jane Foster
  • Susan Jefferies (Award of Merit in Programming & Interpretation)
  • Tom Reitz (Outstanding Volunteer)
  • Dianne Wolfe

 

1997

 

  • Ellen Langlands
  • John Jennings
  • Lorraine O'Byrne
  • St. Catharines Museum "Following the North Star" (Award of Merit in Programming & Interpretation)

 

1996

 

  • Mackenzie Heritage Printery Advisory Committee (Award of Merit in Volunteer Groups)
  • Peterborough Discovery Team (Award of Merit in Programming & Interpretation)
  • South Simcoe Pioneer Museum Committee (Award of Merit in Fund Raising)
  • Waterloo Regional Curatorial Centre (Award of Merit in Collections Management)

 

1995

 

  • Lynne Teather
  • Pat Zimmer
  • Dundurn Castle Archaeology Project

 

1994

 

  • Helen Knibb
  • Margaret May

 

1993

 

  • Jon Barlow
  • Ken Doherty
  • Tom Hill
  • Peter Styrmo

 

1992

 

  • Clause Breede
  • John Carter

 

1991

 

  • Helen Hutchison
  • David Newlands

 

1990

 

  • Carol Johnston
  • Joan Johnston

 

1989

 

  • Susan Burke

 

1988

 

  • Anne Heideman

 

1987

 

  • Tom Brown

 

1986

 

  • Elliot Avedon
  • Margaret Machell
  • Margaret MacKelvie
  • Art Gallery of Ontario (Adult Programs Department)

 

1985

 

  • Russell K. Cooper
  • Pauline Hall
  • Henry Hodges
  • Jeanne Hughes
  • Florence Martin

  1984

  • Dorothy Duncan
  • Ken McLaughlin
  • Thelma Miles