Huron County, Ontario – The Huron County Museum is honoured to host The Witness Blanket, a powerful travelling exhibit from the Canadian Museum of Human Rights that recognizes the atrocities of the residential school era, honours the children, survivors and families affected, and encourages ongoing reconciliation.
The exhibit opens July 20 and features a full-scale replica of the original Witness Blanket created by master carver Carey Newman.
Inspired by a woven blanket, the original cedar-framed artwork is made of hundreds of items from Indian residential schools, survivors, churches, governments and cultural sites across Canada. Each item tells a story of loss, strength, resilience and pride.
While the Witness Blanket is permanently on display at the Canadian Museum of Human Rights in Winnipeg, MB, this reproduction has been created to allow other venues to share the Blanket’s stories. In these wood-framed reproductions, direct-printed wood panels take the place of the original artifacts.
“We are privileged to host The Witness Blanket and provide our community with the opportunity to engage with this powerful work,” said Museum Senior Curator Elizabeth French-Gibson. “This exhibition invites visitors to reflect on the lasting impacts of residential schools, to honour the experiences of survivors and their families, and to consider the role each of us plays in advancing reconciliation.”
The exhibition will be on display at the Museum from July 20 to Sept. 4, 2026.
To further explore The Witness Blanket, the Museum is hosting two screenings of the feature documentary film Picking Up the Pieces: The Making of the Witness Blanket. The film weaves the stories of objects in the Witness Blanket with Newman’s personal journey and examines how art can open our hearts to the pain of truth and the beauty of resilience. All are welcome to come together on Sunday, July 26, 1:30 p.m. or Sunday, Aug. 16, 1:30 p.m.
Throughout the duration of the exhibit, admission to the Museum is free for visitors identifying as Indigenous. Admission to both the exhibit and the film screenings is included with regular admission or free for Museum members and Huron County Library card holders. Space is limited for the films and filmgoers are encouraged to reserve a seat through our website.
For more information about the exhibit, or to reserve a seat for the film screenings, visit: https://www.huroncountymuseum.ca/temporary-exhibits/witness-blanket/
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