Abstract: A humidification apparatus comprising a reservoir having at least one side wall defining an opening, water within the reservoir bounded by the at least one side, and a membrane activation assembly installed over the opening. The membrane activation assembly comprises a microporous membrane layer covering the opening of the reservoir and a temporary peel-away activation layer covering the membrane layer. A method of using the humidification apparatus comprises the steps of grasping a pull-tab formed on the activation layer, peeling the activation layer away from the underlying membrane layer, and inserting within an enclosed space the reservoir containing water bounded at its opening by the activated membrane layer. A method of manufacturing the humidification apparatus comprises numerous laminating and die-cutting steps to form a completed membrane activation assembly that is then installed on the reservoir.