Nova Scotia Museum

Last updated
Nova Scotia Museum
Nova Scotia Museum
Location Nova Scotia, Canada
Typedecentralised museum
Visitors549,500 (2015) [note 1] [1]
Website museum.novascotia.ca

Nova Scotia Museum (NSM) is the corporate name for the 28 museums across Nova Scotia, Canada, and is part of the province's tourism infrastructure. The organization manages more than 200 historic buildings, living history sites, vessels, and specialized museums and about one million artifacts and specimens, either directly or through a system of co-operative agreements with societies and local boards. The NSM delivers programs, exhibits and products which provide both local residents and tourists in Nova Scotian communities an opportunity to experience and learn about Nova Scotia's social and natural history. [2] More than 600,000 people visit the facilities each year.

Contents

History

The Nova Scotia Museum was created by the Nova Scotia Museum Act, a provincial legislation.

The Nova Scotia Museum began with the collection of the Halifax Mechanics' Institute, founded in December 1831. The museum was formally established in 1868. The Rev. Dr. David Honeyman was the first curator. He was followed by Harry Piers, who as curator from 1899 to 1940 oversaw a steady expansion of the museum's collection. [3] Marie Elwood was Chief Curator of History at the Nova Scotia Museum from 1973 to 1992. [4]

Activities

As well as managing and maintaining historical collections, the museum has sponsored the publication of many historical books, pamphlets and other documents. [5]

The museum staff and volunteers undertake a variety of restoration projects, [6] create cultural and natural history displays, [7] and participate in historical reenactments.

The organization also issues Heritage Research Permits, allowing scientists to collect and study fossils and other archaeological artifacts. [8]

Museums

Cape Breton Island

MuseumAddressPlaceSeasonScheduleHours
Cossit House225 George Street Sydney 1 June - 14 OctoberMonday - Friday (closed Saturday-and-Sunday)10:00 - 16:00
Baile nan Gàidheal (Highland Village)4119 Highway 223 Iona 15 June - 15 OctoberWeekly10:00 - 16:30

Eastern Shore

MuseumAddressPlaceSeasonScheduleHours
Fisherman's Life Museum10309 Highway 7 Oyster Pond June 1 to October 4 [9] N/AN/A
Sherbrooke Village 42 Main Street Sherbrooke 16 June - tentativeThursday - Monday (closed Tuesday-and-Wednesday)9:30 - 17:00

Fundy Shore & Annapolis Valley

MuseumAddressPlaceSeasonScheduleHours
Fundy Geological Museum 162 Two Islands Road Parrsboro Year-roundWednesday - Monday (closed Tuesday)10:00 -17:00
Clifton Museum Park424 Clifton Avenue Windsor 1 June - 5 OctoberWednesday - Sunday (closed Monday-and-Tuesday)10:00 - 16:00
Lawrence House Museum8660 Highway 215 Maitland 1 June - 1 OctoberWednesday - Sunday (closed Monday-and-Tuesday)10:00 - 16:00
North Hills Museum 5065 Granville Road Granville Ferry 1 June - 30 SeptemberTuesday - Saturday (closed Sunday-and-Monday)9:30 - 16:00
Prescott House Museum 1633 Starr's Point Road Starr's Point 1 June - tentativeTuesday - Sunday (closed Monday)10:00 - 16:00
Shand House Museum 389 Avon Street Windsor SporadicSporadicSporadic

Halifax Metro

MuseumAddressPlaceSeasonScheduleHours
Maritime Museum of the Atlantic 1675 Lower Water Street Halifax Year-round (however, there are two seasons)
  • 1 May - 31 October: Weekly
  • 1 November - 30 April: Tuesday - Sunday (closed Monday)
  • 1 May - 31 October: Wednesday - Monday (9:30 - 17:30); Tuesdays (9:30 - 20:00)
  • 1 November - 30 April: Tuesday (9:30 - 20:00); Wednesday - Saturday (9:30 - 17:00); Sunday (13:00 - 17:00)
Museum of Natural History 1747 Summer Street Halifax Year-roundWeekly9:30 - 16:30
Uniacke Estate Museum Park 758 Highway 1 Mount Uniacke 16 June - 1 OctoberTuesday - Sunday (closed Monday)10:00 - 16:00

Northumberland Shore

MuseumAddressPlaceSeasonScheduleHours
Balmoral Grist Mill Museum 660 Matheson Brook Road Tatamagouche Year-round (except 17 July, 7 August, 14 August, 4 September, and 11 September)Wednesday - Sunday (closed Monday-and-Tuesday)9:30 - 16:30
Museum of Industry 147 North Food Street Stellarton Year-roundWeekly9:30 - 16:30
McCulloch House Museum 100 Haliburton Road Pictou 24 May - 30 SeptemberSporadicSporadic
Sutherland Steam Mill Museum 660 Matheson Brook Road Tatamagouche Year-round (except 16 July, 6 August, 13 August, 3 September, and 10 September)Wednesday - Sunday (closed Monday)9:30 - 16:30

South Shore

MuseumAddressPlaceSeasonScheduleHours
Barrington Woolen Mill 2368 Highway 3 Barrington 1 June - tentativeMonday - Saturday (closed Sunday)10:00 - 16:30
Black Loyalist Heritage Centre 119 Birchtown Road Shelburne Year-roundWeekly10:00 - 17:00
Dory Shop Museum 11 Dock Street Shelburne 1 June - 15 OctoberTuesday - Saturday (closed Sunday-and-Monday)10:00 - 12:00, 13:00 - 16:00 (closed between 12:00 - 13:00)
Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic 68 Bluenose Drive Lunenburg Year-roundWeekly9:30 - 17:00
Old Meeting House2408 Highway 3 Barrington 1 June - tentativeMonday - Saturday (closed Sunday)10:00 - 16:30
Perkins House Museum 105 Main Street Liverpool 1 June - tentativeWeeklyMonday - Saturday (9:30 - 17:00)

Sunday (13:00 - 17:00)

Ross Farm Museum 4568 Highway 12 New Ross Year-roundTuesday - Sunday (closed Monday)9:30 - 16:30
Ross-Thomson House & Store Museum9 Charlotte Lane Shelburne 1 June - 15 OctoberTuesday - Saturday (closed Sunday-and-Monday)10:00 - 12:00, 13:00 - 16:00 (closed between 12:00 - 13:00)
Wile Carding Mill 242 Victoria Road Bridgewater June through September [10] N/AN/A

Yarmouth & Acadian Shores

MuseumAddressPlaceSeasonScheduleHours
The Acadian Village of Nova Scotia91 Old Church Road Lower West Pubnico 30 May - 23 September (three seasons)
  • 30 May - 3 July: Monday - Friday (closed Saturday-and-Sunday)
  • 4 July - 27 August: Monday - Saturday (closed Sunday)
  • 28 August - 23 September: Monday - Friday (closed Saturday-and-Sunday)
9:00 - 17:00
Firefighters' Museum of Nova Scotia 451 Main Street Yarmouth Year-roundWeeklyMonday - Saturday (9:00 - 17:00)

Sunday (10:00 - 17:00)

Notes

  1. ↑ The following is the total attendance figure from all 28 Nova Scotia Museum locations.

References

  1. ↑ "Nova Scotia Museum Attendance (by region) 2006–2015" (PDF). Nova Scotia Museums. 2016. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  2. ↑ Allan Billard (3 October 2016). Lighthouses of Nova Scotia: Discovering their history and heritage. Formac Publishing Company. pp. 23–. ISBN   978-1-4595-0449-3.
  3. ↑ "Nova Scotia Museum". Council of Nova Scotia Archives. Archived from the original on 2012-02-12.
  4. ↑ [Premier's Office] (29 March 2012). "Premier Expresses Condolences on Passing of Dr. Elwood" (News release). Halifax, N.S.: Government of Nova Scotia. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  5. ↑ "Collaborators launch new 'Harmful Nova Scotia Plants' app". Halifax Magazine, Sara Sawyer, March 9, 2017.
  6. ↑ "Model Building - Ships". Canadian Woodworking & Home Improvement Magazine, August/September 2004
  7. ↑ "N.S. history comes to life in calendar". Chronicle Herald, Elissa Barnard, December 22, 2017
  8. ↑ A. J. Bowden; Cynthia V. Burek; R. Wilding (2005). History of Palaeobotany: Selected Essays. Geological Society of London. pp. 106–. ISBN   978-1-86239-174-1.
  9. ↑ "Visit Us". Fisherman's Life Museum. Nova Scotia Museums. Retrieved 7 September 2025.
  10. ↑ "Wile Carding Mill Museum FAQs". Town of Bridgewater. Retrieved 7 September 2025.

44°38′44″N63°35′06″W / 44.64558°N 63.58493°W / 44.64558; -63.58493

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