At its national conference in Banff, on Wednesday, April 15, the Canadian Museums Association (CMA) recognized fifteen exceptional museum projects in various categories.

The CMA is the national organization for the advancement of Canada's museum community, which includes 2,600 museums and related institutions that help preserve our collective memory, shape our national identity and promote tolerance and understanding.

Here are the awards:

Award of Outstanding Achievement in Conservation: Construction of New Collections Reserve 
Musée des maîtres et artisans du Québec (Montreal, QC). This award is made possible thanks to the generous support of Yosef Wosk, OBC.

Award of Outstanding Achievement in Education: Mind’s Eye Project 
Aanischaaukamikw — Cree Cultural Institute (Oujé-Bougoumou, QC)

Award of Outstanding Achievement in Exhibitions (museums with less than $1M annual operating budgets): Roll on Columbia: Exhibition Project 
Touchstones Nelson: Museum of Art and History (Nelson, BC)

Award of Outstanding Achievement in Exhibitions (museums with annual operating budgets over $1M): Lake Winnipeg: Shared Solutions 
The Manitoba Museum and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (Winnipeg, MB)

Award of Outstanding Achievement in New Media: Ace Academy 
Canada Aviation and Space Museum (Ottawa, ON)

Award of Outstanding Achievement in Research: Odanak Fort: The Past Revisited 
Musée des Abénakis (Odanak, QC)

Award of Outstanding Achievement in Research: QUARTIERS DISPARUS. Red Light, Faubourg à m’lasse, Goose Village. 
Les Éditions Cardinal 
Centre d’histoire de Montréal in collaboration with Laboratoire d’histoire et de patrimoine de Montréal de l’UQAM and the Archives de la Ville de Montréal (Montreal, QC)

Award of Distinguished Service: The CMA salutes the outstanding careers of three dedicated museum professionals: Ruth Bitner, Paule Renaud and Joy Davis, PhD.

New Fellow: The CMA has appointed Claudette Leclerc as CMA Fellow, the highest form of recognition bestowed by the CMA, for her tireless dedication to the work of the CMA and to museums.

Museum Volunteer Award: Presented in collaboration with the Canadian Federation of Friends of Museums, the 2015 Museum Volunteer Award recognizes Bruno Paul Stenson for his dedication to the Redpath Museum, McGill University, as well as an honorable mention for the Langley Centennial Museum’s docent team.

ICOM Canada’s International Achievement Award: Michel Côté , executive director of the Musées de la civilisation, received the ICOM Canada International Achievement Award for the contributions he has made to international museology during his career in Canada and internationally.

RBC Museum Internship for Emerging Professionals: Brittany Watson will be working at the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies (Banff, Alberta) and a second intern will be hosted at the National Music Centre (Calgary). Internships take place over a period of four to six months and receive financial support from the RBC Emerging Artists Project stream of the RBC Foundation.

Visit the Canadian Museums Association website for more information.