MUSEUMS YOU MUST VISIT IN CANADA

ADVERTISEMENT

MUSEUMS YOU MUST VISIT IN CANADA

 MUSEUMS YOU MUST VISIT IN CANADA, Canadian Galleries run the diapason from the grand to the lingo- in- impertinence. Anyhow, whichever of these you visit, you ’ll discover perceptivity into what makes Canada and Canadians crack. Although a many I ’ve named aren’t “ galleries ” per se, they’re either National Historic spots or UNESCO World Heritage spots.

So if you love history and you ’re wondering what to do in Canada, starting from Canada’s Easternmost fiefdom of Newfoundland and Labrador to the westernmost British Columbia, then are some galleries to put on your list.

CANADIAN MUSEUMS

1- PRIME BERTH TWILLINGATE FISHERY & HERITAGE CENTRE

Twillingate (Iceberg Capital of the World), Newfoundland and Labrador

Museum of the Flat Earth
Canadian museum in Twillingate is a quirky place to visit. Owner David Boyd explains the history of fishing at his Prime Berth Twillingate Fishery & Heritage Centre, Kay Burns of the Museum of the Flat Earth is “founder/artistic director” of the museum, where her business card states, “Think outside the sphere.” (Photos: Katharine Fletcher and Christina Pfeiffer)

“Off the beaten path from everywhere” is what many call Newfoundland and Labrador, as this province is remote, yet so worthwhile to visit.

At Prime Berth in Twillingate, you’ll get an insider’s peek into the historic yet nowadays, vastly changed fishing industry.

Once the seas were so full of cod, Basque fishermen said they simply scooped them out of the water. Not nowadays, however, when stocks have tragically declined.

Now, when Newfoundlanders talk about “fish” they’re talking exclusively about cod.

That’s unique to this species — all others are called by their names — such as halibut. The reason cod are designated “fish” is because they were once so plentiful they were people’s staple food.

Here at Prime Berth, learn how incredibly hardy fishermen rowed out to sea in all sorts of weather using dories (rowing boats), line-fishing for cod.

Although huge fishing vessels process catches nowadays, in Newfoundland line-fishing has made a comeback.

Call ahead to get a personal tour with owner David Boyd to hear his personal, politically incorrect views of the industry and pretty much anything else.

He’s a character and enjoys spinning yarns about how his forefathers fished — for fish.

Extra tip: If you hop on the ferry to nearby Fogo Island visit the Museum of the Flat Earth.

It’s up to you whether museum curator and interpreter Kay Burns convinces you to believe or be sceptical.

Regardless, hike up Brimstone Head, supposedly one of the four corners of the Flat Earth after seeing the museum.

It’s a top vantage point in Iceberg Alley.

2- MUSEUM OF IMMIGRATION AT PIER 21

Halifax, Nova Scotia

Museum of Immigration Pier 21
Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21. (Photo: Tourism Nova Scotia)

One in five Canadians who emigrated to Canada between 1928 and 1971 entered on ocean liners which docked here at Pier 21 terminal, in Halifax Harbour.

In fact, so many immigrants came through piers 20 to 22 that all three are designated by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada.

Pier 21 itself is a deeply personal museum for immigrants and their descendants who passed through these doors. And if you have family who immigrated here, there’s an online plus on-site Family History Centre.

The Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 has moving displays of such items as kists — large wooden crates used by Dutch immigrants in which they packed as many of their precious and utilitarian belongings as possible.

Afterwards, stretch your legs and breathe deeply of seaside air to view a statue on the Halifax Harbour boardwalk, called “The Immigrant.”

 

3- CANADIAN MUSEUM OF HISTORY

Gatineau, Quebec (opposite Ottawa, Ontario)

Gatineau Canadian Museum of History
Left top: The Grand Hall Tour – Canadian Museum of History (Photo: Canadian Tourism Commission), Newly opened Canadian History Hall, Canadian Museum of History, Gatineau. The Grand Hall Tour – Canadian Museum of History (Photo: Canadian Tourism Commission)

Want to learn about Canadian history?

Don’t miss this world-class museum designed by First Nations architect Douglas Cardinal.

The inspiration for its curves and “bubbles” came from the turbulent rapids of the Ottawa River which courses past the building and which acts as the boundary between the two provinces of Ontario and Quebec.

The Canadian Museum of History’s Grand Hall is a renowned spectacle, being a replica of a west-coast village, complete with longhouses and towering totem poles.

Newly opened in 2017 is the Canadian History Hall where First Nations through European Contact and today’s realities are depicted.

With a First People’s Hall, Canadian Stamp Collection, and colourful Children’s Museum, plus many exhibitions, talks and activities, a day is never long enough for a comprehensive visit.

 

Check Also

BEST TRIP-DAY IN SAN FRANCISCO

ADVERTISEMENT BEST TRIP-DAY IN SAN FRANCISCO It’s a great shame that most people who travel …

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *