Which monarch officially opened the Confederation Centre of the Arts in 1964?

Queen Elizabeth II officially opened the Confederation Centre of the Arts in Charlottetown on October 6, 1964. The centre was built as Canada’s National Memorial to the Fathers of Confederation.

Its location has symbolic importance: Charlottetown hosted the 1864 conference where political leaders discussed the idea that led to Canadian Confederation. Construction began in 1960, and the completed complex brought together theatres, an art gallery, and Memorial Hall near Prince Edward Island’s Province House.

The centre was funded by Canada’s federal government and all ten provincial governments. It became a major national cultural institution, presenting theatre, music, dance, visual art, and festivals.

A common mix-up is associating the opening with King George VI, Queen Victoria, or the present King Charles III. Queen Elizabeth II was the monarch in 1964 and performed the official opening. The Charlottetown Festival began there the following year, in 1965.