A Rare Look Behind the Scenes at Archives, Museums

Nova Scotians will have the unique opportunity to look behind the scenes at how museums and archives tell the amazing story of the province's past.

The Nova Scotia Archives, the Museum of Natural History, and the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax are hosting open houses on Saturday, May 11. Admission to all three sites is free for the day as a part of I Love Local HFX's Open City.

The archives and museums are popular destinations for families to learn about our province's past and take pride in where we come from as a people," said Communities, Culture and Heritage Minister Leonard Preyra. "The open houses allow people to go even deeper and get a true sense of what it takes to tell our stories and maintain the invaluable collections for future generations."

"The open house is a great way for visitors to see how we collect and preserve the Nova Scotia collection," said Museum of Natural History manager John Kemp, who has worked at the museum for more than 35 years. "Visitors can see how a museum operates and how we build exhibits and programs. This will be the first time in about 10 years that people will have an opportunity to see behind the scenes."

The Nova Scotia Archives will show people how the province's history is stored and cared for. They will also demonstrate how records and artifacts get digitized and made available online. Tours will take place at the top of every hour from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.

At the Museum of Natural History, visitors can take part in 30-minute tours from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. to see rarely seen artifacts and specimens, and meet the people who care for the collection. Tickets for the tours are limited and are available at the museum's front desk. The museum will also host a variety of other programs throughout the day including a chance to test-drive Science on a Sphere and visit the workshop where staff are preparing the upcoming Sable Island exhibit opening in 2014.

The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic's open house will showcase the site's many talented contributors, from curators to boatbuilding staff and volunteers. In partnership with the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, at 12:30 p.m., the Nova Scotia Sea School will re-launch the Dorothea.

For more information, including addresses to the museums and archives, go to museum.gov.ns.ca .