Mining at the Museum — Beyond Extraction

Mining at the Museum is a web-based, audio-visual intervention into the Royal Ontario Museum's Teck Suite of Galleries - an exhibition of minerals sponsored by Canadian mining companies with track records of environmental destruction and human rights violations.

The ROM is a colonial institution, premised on the Eurocentric museum tradition of “collecting” specimens from around the world and organizing them into strict categories. The impulses of colonialism within the museum are further reinforced when we examine the mining industry: Colonialism and extraction go hand-in-hand. Follow along as we enter this decadent space and share critical re-imaginings of six objects. We highlight stories of imperial obsession with gold and wealth, the colonial foundations of extractive mapping, deceptive treaties, the politics of extractive terminology, the critical absence of workers’ voices and working conditions, and the continued dangers of extraction as mining is set to make the most profit from the global transition to renewable energy.

We invite you to listen to this audio tour as you make your way through the Teck Suite of Galleries: Earth’s Treasures, located on the second-floor of the museum, across the new Willner Madge Gallery, Dawn of Life. Listen to the tour on your phone/device and follow the map below while in the gallery.

>>> This folder contains Mp3 audio files for download and a letter-size PDF map to print if you would prefer to visit without data. You’ll also find a document containing gallery images, a transcript, and resources related to ROM and their sponsors. These will come in handy if you want to explore further or listen from home: indeed we invite you to listen anytime, from anywhere.

For free entry to the ROM, we recommend taking advantage of the Museum + Arts Pass (MAP) from the Toronto Public Library.
The ROM is located at 100 Queen’s Park, in Toronto.

Beyond Extraction · Mining at the Museum [full]

Beyond Extraction · Mining at the Museum: Million Dollar Coin

Beyond Extraction · Mining at the Museum: Geological Map

Beyond Extraction · Mining at the Museum: Drill Bit

Beyond Extraction · Mining at the Museum: Fossil Fuels

Beyond Extraction · Mining at the Museum: Asbestos

Beyond Extraction · Mining at the Museum: Schorl

Beyond Extraction · Mining at the Museum: Copper

On Wednesday, June 15th, 2022 at the Royal Ontario Museum, Beyond Extraction and several guests celebrated the project launch with a counter-tour of the Teck Suite of Galleries: Earth's Treasures. “Undoing the resource imaginary, one mineral specimen case at a time...” - Gavin Bridge (Photos: Zannah Matson)