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March 15, 2024
Eleven samples of round rocks each the size of a softball

Mrs. Sylvia Weagle was an enthusiastic teacher, toy maker, and rock collector. She loved teaching kids and inspiring them with her toy creations. Sylvia also wrote some (unpublished) notes about rocks from Georges Bank, which she thought were dinosaur eggs.

February 29, 2024

Heritage Day, 2024

Heritage Day 2024 celebrated the life and legacy of Mr. William Hall, V.C., the African-descended Nova Scotian farmer and naval hero. What do we celebrate when we celebrate William Hall, his life, and his achievements? For more than a hundred years, Black Nova Scotians have celebrated Hall as a good neighbour and dutiful family member, as a courageous Black man who overcame entrenched race-based prejudices to live as freely and generously as he could.

February 13, 2024
Heritage Day - William Hall graphic.

Heritage Day - William Hall

Monday, February 19, 2024

Heritage Day is an annual reminder of our storied past and an opportunity to honour the remarkable people, places and events that have contributed to this province’s unique heritage.

February 1, 2024
February across the Nova Scotia Museum graphic

Hello,
Here's what's happening across the Nova Scotia Museum.

January 25, 2024
A 20 cm wide red sandstone rock with a thin white bone protruding on the left side and a collection of white quartz pebbles in a pile nearby. Other small thin bones are seen near the pebbles.

Many types of dinosaurs did not chew their food - but used their sharp teeth to cut large pieces of food, which they swallowed without chewing. These dinosaurs used powerful stomach muscles and stones (gastroliths) to grind up their food. We can see many types of birds and other animals still doing this today.

 

December 19, 2023
Winter at Ross Farm Museum.

We want to ensure you have all the information you need to plan your holiday museum visits.  Each site within our museum family will be operating on special hours during the holiday season, so please take a moment to check the schedule before embarking on your visit. 

Wishing each and every one of you a delightful holiday season! May it be filled with warmth, wonder, and a visit to a museum.

December 14, 2023

What Have I Found?

Have you ever been enjoying the outdoors, stumbled upon something interesting, and wondered if you’d found something special? If you think you have found something with heritage value, staff at the Nova Scotia Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism, & Heritage (CCTH) would like to hear from you.

December 11, 2023

The Nova Scotia Museum collections include snow crystals from 1940!

These intricate models of snow crystals were created by Edwin Reiber for the Cranbrook Institute of Science (Michigan). The models were the "first accurate models of snow crystals". 

October 26, 2023

 

Get ready for a spooktacular time at our museums' Halloween events. A ghoulish good time awaits you!

October 5, 2023

Hello everyone,
Here's some of the latest events from across the Nova Scotia Museum. 

Mi'kmaq History Month

October is Mi'kmaq History Month. Thousands of years before the arrival of European settlers, the Mi'kmaq called themselves L'nu'k, which simply means 'the people,' 'human beings.' Their present name, Mi'kmaq, derives from nikmaq, meaning 'my kin-friends.' 

September 29, 2023
Ceramics bowl and cat.

Each year, September 30 marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The day honours the children who never returned home and Survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities. Public commemoration of the tragic and painful history and ongoing impacts of residential schools is a vital component of the reconciliation process.

September 21, 2023
Top of a Porcupine Quill-Work basket

After a wonderful summer season, some of our family of 28 Museums will be closing for the season.  This month is your last chance to explore some of our sites until next year, closing dates are listed below.

September 8, 2023
 Dr. Ruth Holmes Whitehead.

Image:  Dr. Ruth Holmes Whitehead, Order of Nova Scotia Investiture Ceremony, 2015. Photo Credit- Communications Nova Scotia.

 

The Nova Scotia Museum is sad to announce the passing of former Curator, Dr. Ruth Whitehead. Dr. Whitehead passed away in Halifax on August 29th, 2023.

August 11, 2023
Person using mallet and chisel to remove plaster around fossil

Delicate fossils found in museum are cleaned, repaired, and mounted in archival supports when the fossils are put on display or used for research. This #FossilFriday we share an update on the museum conservation of the Gyracanthus magnificus specimen. Above is our Geology Intern, Robbie, using a wooden mallet, chisel, and diamond whetstone to chip away the very old plaster that the fossil fish spine was embedded within.

August 4, 2023
Drawing of Gyracanthus magnificus fossil fish on blue background, length of fish 150 cm.

Imagine finding a giant fossil

Even the sound of the name, Gyracanthus magnificus [ Jyra’-can-thus  mag-nifi-cus ], evokes excitement, and magnificus this fossil sure is! 

The 325 million year old fossil was discovered in the limestone rocks near Baddeck, Nova Scotia in 1866. Gyracanthus magnificus was first mentioned in the scientific literature in Acadian Geology (Dawson 1868).

 

July 31, 2023
Black Loyalist Heritage Centre.

In Canada the first day of August is designated Emancipation Day, recognizing the anniversary of the abolition of slavery in the British Empire in 1834. In Nova Scotia, Minister of African Nova Scotian Affairs Tony Ince introduced legislation marking Emancipation Day in April 2021.

July 23, 2023
Storm closures graphic

 

Following Premier Huston's recent declaration of a provincewide state of emergency in Nova Scotia, all museums located in these following areas will be closed today, Sunday July 23, 2023: HRM, East Hants, West Hants, Lunenburg County, and Queen’s County,

July 21, 2023
Several Silurian fossils first discovered by David Honeyman

Historic Collections

While doing research on Rev. Dr. David Honeyman, the first Curator of the Nova Scotia Museum (1868-1889), we found these specimens – Rev. David Honeyman’s first discovered fossils from Nova Scotia.

June 2, 2023

Our summer season started on June 1. While some of our family of 28 sites reopened their doors, it's important to note that a few of our locations will remain closed temporarily due to the ongoing forest fires across the province. The safety and well-being of our visitors, staff, and the first responders are our top priorities, and we appreciate your understanding in this matter

May 11, 2023

 

Robbie Hussey, our new Co-Op student from Cape Breton University has been applying new numbered labels on various fish fossils and coprolites that were found in Lingan by Dr. Erwin Zodrow in 1984.

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