Heather Angell's Portfolio — Canadian Museum for Human Rights

Role: Research, copywriting, development handoff preparation
Client: Canadian Museum for Human Rights

The Debate Circle is an interactive exhibit within the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR) in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The exhibit tells the stories of 10 landmark Canadian human rights cases and immerses visitors by providing them with a role in the experience. 

By means of an interactive table and video, visitors are presented with a narrative about a case that is carefully crafted from 100% archival footage and artifacts. At key moments throughout the experience, participants are asked to weigh in and vote on what they would do if they were deciding the case. The stories are layered, presenting the multiple sides of each case and challenging the visitors' preconceived notions. 

At the end of the experience, the votes are tallied and presented alongside the votes of the Supreme Court. This exhibit strikingly illustrates how a clear consensus on human rights issues is rare and encourages further discussion and debate.