Ottawa, Ontario — October 26, 2025 — The Canadian War Museum and the wider historical community are mourning the profound loss of Dr. Tim Cook, Chief Historian and Director of Research at the Canadian War Museum. The announcement was made today by Caroline Dromaguet, President and CEO of the Canadian War Museum and the Canadian Museum of History, who expressed deep sorrow on behalf of the institution and all who have had the privilege to work alongside him.
“The Canadian War Museum is deeply saddened to announce the passing of our dear friend and colleague Chief Historian and Director of Research, Dr. Tim Cook,” Dromaguet said in a statement. “As Canada’s preeminent military historian, Tim Cook’s contributions to the Museum since 2002 have been enormous. He was instrumental in shaping the Canadian War Museum we know today.”
Over the span of more than two decades, Dr. Cook played a transformational role in the Museum’s development, interpretation, and educational mandate. His vision helped shape the highly regarded Gallery 2 exhibition, For Crown and Country, a cornerstone of the Museum’s permanent display that continues to move and educate visitors of all ages. He curated several major exhibitions, including Victory 1918 – The Last 100 Days, Communities at War, and War and Medicine. His leadership guided ongoing research and outreach initiatives, and he was a driving force behind In Their Own Voices, a vital oral history project which records first-hand testimonies from veterans and their families to preserve stories that might otherwise be lost to time.
Dr. Cook was not only a respected scholar within the museum walls—he was also one of Canada’s most prolific and influential military historians. Over the course of his career, he authored 19 acclaimed books and numerous academic articles, in addition to appearing in hundreds of media interviews and public lectures. His works earned multiple awards, including four Ottawa Book Awards for Literary Non-Fiction, the J.W. Dafoe Book Prize, the C.P. Stacey Award, and the prestigious Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction. His recent publication The Good Allies was shortlisted for the 2025 Lionel Gelber Prize, an international recognition of excellence in writing on foreign policy.
His contributions to the nation’s historical memory extended beyond publications. Dr. Cook served as the editor of Studies in Canadian Military History, a major academic series published by UBC Press in partnership with the Museum. His work and dedication to public education earned him numerous national honors, including the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, the Minister of Veterans Affairs Commendation, and the Governor General’s History Award. He was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada and named a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada — acknowledgments that reflect both his scholarship and his lasting impact.
But to those who worked alongside him, Tim Cook was more than a historian of remarkable insight and influence. He was a generous mentor, a collaborator, and a passionate advocate for ensuring that the sacrifices and experiences of Canadian veterans were not forgotten. His colleagues remember him as thoughtful, deeply committed, and endlessly enthusiastic about helping both academics and the public connect meaningfully with Canada’s military past.
“Tim Cook was a passionate ambassador both for the Museum and for Canadian military history,” Dromaguet shared. “He has forever left his own mark on history.”
The Canadian Museum of History, which oversees the Canadian War Museum, expressed heartfelt condolences to Dr. Cook’s family, friends, colleagues, and the many readers, researchers, and communities whose lives were touched by his work. Plans to honor and commemorate his legacy will be shared in the coming weeks.
The Canadian Museum of History and the Canadian War Museum stand as national institutions dedicated to preserving, researching, and sharing the stories that shape Canada’s identity. The work of the Museum continues in part through the support of the Government of Canada, and Dr. Cook’s legacy will remain woven into its foundations for generations to come.
