The Victoria Bridge
The Eighth Wonder of the Modern World  
A new virtual exhibition 
from the McCord Museum

Montreal, November 29, 2002 — The McCord Museum of Canadian History announces the launch of its virtual exhibition, The Victoria Bridge — The Eighth Wonder of the Modern World, accessible in December 2002 through the McCord's Web site (www.mccord-museum.qc.ca). This dynamic, bilingual exhibition uses Museum artifacts, photographs and archival documents to tell the fascinating story behind the construction of one of Montreal's landmarks, the Victoria Bridge. Inaugurated in 1860, the bridge was considered a major technological breakthrough for its time and was widely referred to as "the eighth wonder of the modern world."

The Victoria Bridge — The Eighth Wonder of the Modern World explores the social and economic context that motivated the construction of a railway bridge extending across the St. Laurence River and examines the advances in engineering that made the project possible. Thought-provoking thematic sections include Innovation, Elation and Challenge. Richly illustrated and accompanied by an evocative sound track, The Victoria Bridge brings to life an important event in Montreal history and renders it accessible to visitors regardless of their geographic location. The launch of this virtual exhibition coincides with the unveiling of a plaque by the Department of Canadian Heritage and the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada on November 29, 2002 at the McCord Museum. The plaque is intended to commemorate the significance of the Victoria Bridge to our nation's history.

Made possible through the generous support of Canadian Heritage through the Museum Assistance Program, The Victoria Bridge — The Eighth Wonder of the Modern World was created under the direction of Dr Nicole Vallières, the McCord's Director of Collection and Information Management, and shaped by research and design undertaken by Musée Media, Luc Bouvrette, Sono Design and the McCord Museum. The virtual tour was produced by Labidéeclic.

Victoria Bridge — The Eighth Wonder of the Modern World is the third in the Museum's program of virtual exhibitions. Launched in 2001 with The Magic Lantern and followed in July 2002 with Urban Life through Two Lenses, the exhibitions aim to apply new information technology to meet the educational needs of both schoolchildren and the general public. With The Victoria Bridge, the McCord provides the public with yet another innovative tool for accessing its remarkable collection and for gaining a fresh understanding of Canadian history.

We acknowledge the financial support of the Department of Canadian Heritage through the Museum Assistance Program

Source and information:  Nike Langevin, (514) 398-7100, ext. 251

Photographs available upon request.