City of Waterloo Museum presents Cipher | Decipher exhibition
The City of Waterloo Museum is thrilled to announce the opening of Cipher | Decipher, a new exhibition developed by Ingenium – Canada’s Museums of Science and Innovation, in partnership with the Communications Security Establishment (CSE).
Providing visitors with a rare and exciting opportunity to view an authentic Second World War Enigma cipher machine, Cipher | Decipher breaks down communications encryption: what it is, how it works, and how it affects our lives. The 500-square-foot exhibition showcases a wide range of historic communications encryption artifacts on loan from the CSE, and contains both hands-on and digital experiences, as well as custom illustrations that visually demonstrate key processes in cybersecurity, and making and breaking ciphers. Visitors will be able to scramble their own messages using a cipher wheel, see how an Enigma cipher machine works and tackle puzzles to learn if they have what it takes to work in the field of cryptology.
"Ingenium is proud to partner with the Communications Security Establishment to bring Cipher | Decipher to visitors," shares Christina Tessier, President and CEO of Ingenium – Canada’s Museums of Science and Innovation. "This interactive exhibition demystifies a complex field and lets visitors discover how much communications cryptology technologies contribute to our everyday lives."
The City of Waterloo Museum will complement the travelling exhibit with local stories and partnerships. Learn how Indigenous languages played an important role in sending messages for the military throughout both the First and Second World Wars. Discover the codes hidden in quilts used by freedom seekers as they journeyed on the Underground Railroad as depicted in a contemporary quilt from the Guelph Black Heritage Society. Find out about Waterloo’s best-kept secret, Bill Tutte a University of Waterloo math professor, who cracked a World War II Nazi code believed to be unsolvable. Visitors can learn about the University of Waterloo’s role in global security and privacy issues, and explore a collection of early pocket programmable calculators.
Additionally, the City of Waterloo museum will be hosting a Waterloo Code Quest on July 15, a free, family-friendly day that celebrates Waterloo’s connection to coding.
What: Cipher | Decipher exhibit
Where: City of Waterloo Museum, located at Conestoga Mall (near the food court)
When: July 11, 2023 to December 29, 2023
What: Waterloo Code Quest
Where: Winners Court, Conestoga Mall
When: July 15, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
About Ingenium – Canada’s Museums of Science and Innovation
Ingenium celebrates the innovative spirit of Canadians by telling the stories of those who dared to think differently. Inspired by the power of ingenuity, Ingenium encompasses three national institutions: the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum, the Canada Aviation and Space Museum, and the Canada Science and Technology Museum. These three museums are places where the past meets the future, with spaces where visitors can learn and explore, play and discover. Ingenium continues to evolve — the brand new Ingenium Centre houses Canada’s science and technology collection, a research institute, and a digital innovation lab, all designed to protect priceless Canadian heritage artifacts for the benefit of many generations to come. Beyond the physical walls of its museums, Ingenium’s engaging digital content, outreach programs and travelling exhibitions serve to educate, entertain, and engage audiences across Canada and around the world.
About the City of Waterloo Museum
Popular for ever-changing exhibitions and offering access to Waterloo’s premier shopping centre (Conestoga Mall) at its doorstep, the City of Waterloo Museum explores the hometown history of Waterloo and the stories we have to share. The City of Waterloo Museum is the place to discover an array of historical objects, art and artifacts that tell the story of Waterloo from its founding in 1806 to the present day. The museum features a main gallery containing fabulous items from its sizeable holdings of over 20,000 objects, including the restored 1919 Pierce Arrow Seagram Whisky delivery truck, and provides various elements to learn about and celebrate all things Waterloo!
Exhibition hours are Tuesday to Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is always free.
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Media Contacts
Shirley Luu
Communications Consultant
Corporate Communications
City of Waterloo
shirley.luu@waterloo.ca
Christine Clouthier
Ingenium – Canada’s Museums of Science and Innovation
cclouthier@ingeniumcanada.org
(613) 410-5943