We deeply regret the passing of Duncan Ferguson Cameron, whose writings,
example and spirit have inspired two generations of museum professionals.

Lois Irvine has described some of his lifetime achievements in the text
below.  On behalf of the International Council of Museums, we extend our
sympathies to his family, friends, and colleagues around the the world.

 

 

"Duncan Ferguson Cameron, one of the most influential museum leaders of the
20th century, passed away on April 29, 2006. He began his museum career in
1956 at the Royal Ontario Museum where he worked several years under the
close mentorship of Theodore Heinrich. He subsequently formed Janus Museum
Consultants whose first major contract was the Ontario Museum of Science and
Technology, now the Ontario Science Centre.

After restructuring the Canadian Conference of the Arts and working on
cultural policy, he returned to the museum as Director of the Brooklyn
Museum. In 1977, Duncan became Director of the Glenbow Museum in Calgary and
was appointed Director Emeritus on his retirement.

 

 He is especially well-known for his article "the Museum: The Temple or the
Forum" which is still published and cited years later. Throughout his
career, he was always concerned with the meaning of museums, 'the

 why,' and has continued to write, research and present papers to the museum
 community, most recently to the ICOFOM meeting in Calgary in 2005. He has
travelled widely and been active internationally through ICOM and CAM. He
was regarded as one of the founders of 'the new museology' along with
Georges Henri Rivière, Hugues de Varine. John Kinard and Mario Vasquez. He
has spoken and written widely and in 1995 spent a year in New Zealand as a
Visiting Teaching Fellow at Massey University  here he worked with eight
graduate students. He regards this time as one of the most rewarding years
of his professional life. It also enormously enriched his personal life as
he became very close to the Maori culture and people during that period.

 

 Duncan Cameron was the President of the Commonwealth Association of Museums
(CAM) from 1983 to 1989. Under his direction CAM took on new vitality and he
remained active in CAM in various positions until his death.

 

 In 1985 he was awarded the CMA Award of Merit and in 1992 he was made a
fellow of the CMA. He was a Fellow of the Museums Association (UK) and
presented with the Cowrie Circle pin as a member of the Commonwealth
Association of Museums Cowrie Circle, CAM's highest honour (2000). In 2005
he received the Lieutenant-Governor's Award from the Alberta Museums
Association.

 

 Duncan Cameron was often controversial and always challenging and
provocative. He was for many us the best museum director in Canada, a
focused visionary with very high standards, a very wide and expert knowledge
of all aspects of museum work and most of all a great mentor and friend who
never forgot the people behind the scenes. He will be  missed by so many of
us around the world whether we were fortunate enough to work closely with
him, forged a brief but firm connection  during his travels, or appreciated
him through his writings".

 

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