News release

Tourism/Culture, N.S. Museum--Celebrate Heritage Day Feb.

Tourism and Culture (Aug. 1999 - Dec. 2003)

?Tourism/Culture, N.S. Museum--Celebrate Heritage Day Feb. 19

Feb. 19 is National Heritage Day, a day to celebrate and learn about our past. Live our history by taking part in celebrations of Nova Scotian heritage at museums across the province this month.

"Nova Scotia has a remarkably rich history that's full of wonderful characters and compelling stories," said Rodney MacDonald, Minister of Tourism and Culture. "Heritage belongs to all of us. What better time than Heritage Day to take your kids, a friend or yourself out to support a museum?"

Debra Burleson, Executive Director of the Nova Scotia Museum family of 25 sites, says Heritage Day is a fine time for Nova Scotians to explore our many opportunities to keep history alive and well in the local community.

"Museums reflect the heart of our communities and keep us in touch with our roots," said Burleson. "Seven of our 25 provincial museums welcome visitors during the winter and several community museums have special events planned during the month, both indoors and out."

Some other ways that Nova Scotians can celebrate Heritage Day are:

  • At Sherbrooke Village, visitors can jump on the wagon for a spin around the village, then warm up to future plans and aspirations of five local heritage groups.

  • At the Museum of Industry, Stellarton, students bring the history of the Underground Railroad to life through a puppet play, skits, displays and discussions about coded quilts, candles, and safe houses.

  • Two new exhibits, Glass from the Past and The Toyriffric Exhibit, open at The Old Kings Courthouse Museum in Kentville.

  • The Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic in Lunenburg shows films on fishing heritage. On Heritage Day, they're showing the classic 1952 film The World in His Arms, featuring a race between two schooners that was filmed near Lunenburg.

  • A full day of celebration is planned by the Malagash Heritage Association at the community hall, including costumed interpreters, free genealogy services, old-time music and refreshments, storytellers, booths, and fascinating facts.

  • The Parkdale-Maplewood Community Museum welcomes you to join their Heritage Day Quilting Party and Potluck Lunch.

  • Visitors can weave their way to the Rug Braiding Workshop and Genealogy Workshop at the West Pubnico Museum.

  • The Yarmouth County Museum presents a Heritage Day Lunch and Tour, and invite visitors to enjoy a light meal and the sweet sounds of a violinist and harpist.

  • Kids of all ages will enjoy this weekend's dinosaur workshops happening at Fundy Geological Museum in Parrsboro or the Museum of Natural History in Halifax.

There are also many ways to explore and support Nova Scotia's heritage throughout the year, including these suggestions:

  • visiting some of the 110 museums in the province,
  • volunteering in a museum
  • participating in cultural heritage events
  • reading about the places and people of Nova Scotia's past
  • viewing our heritage buildings
  • searching for the family history
  • talking to storytellers in the local community
  • learning a heritage language such as Gaelic
  • going outside to experience Nova Scotia's amazing natural history.

History is easy to find on a virtual museum visit to the Nova Scotia Museum's Web site, http://museum.gov.ns.ca . The site offers visitors a list of upcoming heritage events at the provincial family of museums this month. At the Federation of Nova Scotian Heritage site, www.fnsh.ns.ca , find out about special Heritage Day events at many community-run museums throughout the province. Both Web sites link to many museum sites and other heritage institutions in the province.

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