WFFMM-NAAM Conference 2021

In November 2018 General Motors announced the closure of the Oshawa, Ontario, Canada assembly plant, which had produced more than 20 million motor vehicles over 112 years. The Canadian Automotive Museum, located just a few miles away, had just over one year to prepare for the scheduled closure and decided what to collect for future generations and how to communicate its history to the public. Now, a year after the closure of the Oshawa Assembly Plant, the Canadian Automotive Museum has acquired important archival collections, strengthened its position in the community, opened a highly successful exhibit, and built a new relationship with General Motors of Canada. Gates will discuss how this event lead to numerous outcomes from acquisitions to exhibition creation, and most importantly for a not-for-profit charity, creating new partnerships and fundraising opportunities.