Nova Scotia Museum

@novascotiamuseum

Telling Nova Scotia’s extraordinary stories.

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Nova Scotia Museum@novascotiamuseum· 26d

They don’t even look like the same species! New feathers on non-breeding adults have white tips that make them look spotted in summer (Photo 3). By winter, the tips are worn off, and the spots disappear. This “wear molt” only happens to Starlings. Have juvenile or spotted starlings fooled you?

Nova Scotia Museum@novascotiamuseum· 26d

The black-beaked plain brown young lack the iridescence and spots characteristic of the yellow-beaked adults (Photo 2).

Nova Scotia Museum@novascotiamuseum· 26d

Birds of a feather: European Starlings for Fledgling Friday from Kathy Ogden, Curator (Registrar) Natural History 📸 The first brood of squawking juvenile European Starlings has fledged, confusing new birders (Photo 1).

Nova Scotia Museum@novascotiamuseum· 27d

Check out our #BehindTheScenes video series 🌱 What is a herbarium? with Dr. Sean Haughian, Senior Curator Botany at the Nova Scotia Museum. www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...

Dr. Sean Haughian, Senior Curator Botany talking to student in a bog.

Nova Scotia Museum@novascotiamuseum· 28d

Update: We and the Sea opens at the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic on August 1, 2026. It will on display through October.

Nova Scotia Museum@novascotiamuseum· 28d

Some ships are historical artifacts. CSS Acadia is a legend. Launched in 1913, Acadia is the only surviving vessel to have served the Royal Canadian Navy during both World Wars and the only vessel still afloat today that survived the Halifax Explosion. #BuiltDifferent #CSSAcadia #NovaScotia

The historic white vessel CSS Acadia docked at the Halifax waterfront on a bright, sunny day. In the foreground, colorful red, yellow, and blue chairs sit on a weathered wooden boardwalk. The ship features a riveted hull, tan masts, and a cream-and-pink superstructure, with modern high-rise buildings visible in the background under a clear blue sky.

Nova Scotia Museum@novascotiamuseum· Jul 10

You found an old coin. Now what? In Nova Scotia, any Heritage Object belongs to the Crown. If you find something that looks old, STOP. Don't dig it up! Removing it from its "context" destroys the historical data archaeologists use to understand our past.

Graphic that says metal detecting in Nova Scotia You found an old coin. Now what? with an image of an old coin.

Nova Scotia Museum@novascotiamuseum· Jul 9

The new traveling exhibition, "We and the Sea: Honouring the Marine Heritage of African Nova Scotians," aims to change that. Come explore these powerful stories at the Black Loyalist Heritage Centre in Shelburne, Nova Scotia. on view until July 19, 2026.

An indoor view of a modern museum gallery hosting a traveling exhibition with large banner panels featuring historical black-and-white portraits and text. Visitors stand on a transparent glass floor looking at historical artifacts enclosed in vertical glass display cases.

Nova Scotia Museum@novascotiamuseum· Jul 8

Photo 2 - prefers leafy trees. Their similarly pitched calls, have different “phrasing”. Yellows seem to “say”, “Sweet, sweet, sweet, you-are-so-sweet!” Chestnuts “say”, “Pleased, pleased, pleased, pleased to-meet-ya!” I bet you can find a Yellow Warbler but the Chestnut-sided might be trickier!

Nova Scotia Museum@novascotiamuseum· Jul 8

Birds of a feather: Warbler Wednesday These closely related warblers don’t look alike but are both often found along NS roads. The brazen Northern Yellow Warbler (Setophaga aestiva) in Photo 1 is often found in alders and shrubs. Its “cousin”, the Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica)

Nova Scotia Museum@novascotiamuseum· Jul 7

Of course, reusable shopping bags and baskets are nothing new. But there are few examples to rival this basket made in the 1800s from ash splints, sweet grass and cotton fibre.

A tall, open-top woven basket made from wood splints. The basket has straight sides that widen toward the rim and a flat base. Two long, slender looped handles rise from opposite sides and extend well above the rim. The surface is tightly woven in a regular, horizontal pattern, and the front is decorated with two floral ornaments, each with layered petal shapes surrounding a textured, raised center.

Nova Scotia Museum@novascotiamuseum· Jul 6

The Dory Shop Museum - open Tuesday to Saturday from 9am to 4pm. Step into this authentic harbour-side dory factory to discover the historic Shelburne Dory and the world of the Grand Banks fishery as it existed from 1880 to 1971. doryshop.novascotia.ca

A wide landscape shot capturing a historic, two-story weathered gray wooden building with vibrant red window shutters and doors, situated on a grassy bank next to calm water. The building sits behind a low stone retaining wall made of large, rounded boulders, which curves along the water's edge on the left, where a vintage iron anchor rests on the grass. The glassy surface of the water in the foreground perfectly mirrors the bright blue sky and scattered, fluffy white clouds above. In the background, forested hills line the distant shore under a bright morning sun.

Nova Scotia Museum@novascotiamuseum· Jun 29

Experience the Nova Scotia Museum with the Canada Strong Pass Program from June 19 to September 7, 2026. The Pass includes: ✅Free admission for those 17 and under ✅50% discount on admission for those 18 to 24 years old Plan your visit today! museum.novascotia.ca/visit

Nova Scotia Museum@novascotiamuseum· Jun 17

Uniacke Estate Museum Park - open Wed-Sun from 10am to 4pm. Inside, find a rare survival of one family’s treasured possessions. Outside, explore the English country landscape, do some birdwatching and stroll or hike along seven modern walking trails.

Nova Scotia Museum@novascotiamuseum· Jun 11

If you are looking for a place to reflect and learn, consider the Coal & Grit exhibit at the Museum of Industry. This permanent display tells the story of mining coal in this area. Highlighted is the Westray Disaster of 1992, which killed 26 miners and is still remembered vividly by Nova Scotians.

The Coal & Grit exhibit at the Museum of Industry. In the right foreground, a framed "Honor Roll" document hangs on a red wall, listing names under the heading "Those who lost their lives in mine accidents in Acadia Mines 1917 to 1969." In the background, interpretive panels with text and historical photographs line the walls, and a blurred silhouette of a person walks through the gallery.

Nova Scotia Museum@novascotiamuseum· Jun 9

Clifton Museum Park, Windsor, Nova Scotia Wind your way up the tree-lined drive to discover a grand home steeped in history. Walk the scenic park, featuring lawns, ponds, woods and orchards, enjoy a fun filled game of Disc Golf on the Clifton Disc Golf Course. clifton.novascotia.ca

Exterior view of Clifton Museum Park, formerly Haliburton House Museum, a white two-story building with a red roof, surrounded by a large green lawn and trees under a sunny sky.

Nova Scotia Museum@novascotiamuseum· Jun 8

Did you know an estimated half of all coral species live in the deep, cold ocean? Right here in Eastern Canada, over 60 species of cold-water corals thrive under immense pressure. This #WorldOceansDay, dive into the story of our local deep-sea soft corals: museum.novascotia.ca/stories/soft...

Nova Scotia Museum@novascotiamuseum· Jun 5

Nova Scotia show us your favourite tree. #MuseumWeek #MuseumsForThePlanetMW

Nova Scotia Museum@novascotiamuseum· Jun 4

In 1845, 12 year old Rachel Barrett, most likely the child of a Black Refugee, stitched by hand an embroidery known as a sampler as part of her education at Halifax’s African School. Barrett’s sampler is the first of its kind discovered in Nova Scotia.

An unframed antique needlework sampler stitched on light-colored linen fabric, set against a plain white background. A green and red floral vine border encloses the entire design. The upper half features a detailed, cross-stitched rendering of a two-story building with a red chimney, labeled with the words "African School" across the front. Smaller stitched motifs flank the schoolhouse, including a flower basket, a crown inside a square, floral sprigs, and text that reads "Halifax Nova Scotia December 11 1845". The lower half contains several rows of stitched text displaying the lyrics to "God Save the Queen," finalized by a signature line at the bottom: "Rachel Barrett Aged 12 years".

Nova Scotia Museum@novascotiamuseum· Jun 2

Their mission is to serve youth, especially those from underserved communities. These transformative programs go beyond teaching technical & maritime skills; they foster resilience & help youth discover a strong sense of belonging within a supportive environment. Follow @mmaboatschool on Instagram.

Outdoor view of the Irving Shipbuilding Boat School building along a wooden boardwalk under a blue sky with scattered clouds. Several people are walking up a short set of metal stairs to the entrance, while three people sit on a bench in front of a bright red corrugated wall featuring the school's name. A blue Adirondack chair sits on the boardwalk in the foreground, and modern buildings are visible in the background.

Nova Scotia Museum@novascotiamuseum· Jun 2

Today's #MuseumWeek theme is #AIFuturesMW museum are invited to share their visions of what is coming. We cannot predict the future but we will be Building Boats and Belonging at the new Boat School at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic this summer. #OceansWeek #NovaScotia

High-angle indoor view of a modern museum space with light wood flooring and a large open glass garage door revealing an outdoor wooden boardwalk and a red historical building. Inside, a white and brown small watercraft with registration number NS8813938 rests on a wooden cradle, surrounded by a small group of visitors gathered near information banners.

Nova Scotia Museum@novascotiamuseum· Jun 1

Happy #MuseumWeek! We're joining museums worldwide for 7 days of themes, hashtags, and celebrating collective action. Kicking things off today with "AI in the Museum." AI? Where we’re going we don’t need AI. #aimuseumsmw #NovaScotia

A wide, sunny view of the historic grounds at The Historic Acadian Village of Nova Scotia. Several weathered grey-shingled buildings stand on a grassy hillside under a clear blue sky. In the foreground, a large, rusted antique horse-drawn dump rake sits on the lawn.

An interior view of the exhibition gallery at the Black Loyalist Heritage Centre in Birchtown. Three young adults stand together in the foreground, interacting with a wooden touch-screen kiosk. Behind them, a long stone accent wall features the word "Birchtown" in prominent black lettering, multi-colored text panels with historical quotes, and vertical rusted metal markers indicating historical years such as 1783.

A small group of visitors walks along a gravel pathway at Highland Village Museum, guided by a staff member dressed in historical attire. The path winds through a grassy hillside overlooking a vast body of water under a partly cloudy sky. In the background stands a traditional wooden barn with a shingled roof, bordered by a rustic wooden fence that follows the curve of the shoreline.

Nova Scotia Museum@novascotiamuseum· May 28

Notes from the 1906 Piers Accession Book detailing Canada’s reference collection of economic seeds. Prepared by the Seed Commissioner’s Branch in Ottawa, it catalogued both useful and noxious plants across the country. Accession Date: October 16, 1906 collections.novascotia.ca/object-000146p

Miscellaneous collection of economic seeds in bottles.

Nova Scotia Museum@novascotiamuseum· May 22

Birds of a feather: Every hen’s crazy ‘bout a sharp-dressed drake from Kathy Ogden, Curator (Registrar) Natural History 📸 When male and female of a bird species look different, it is called sexual dimorphism. We see this a lot in birds!

Nova Scotia Museum@novascotiamuseum· May 22

This beautiful marine chronometer was crafted right here in Nova Scotia by Richard Upham Marsters in the 1820s. Marsters, from Onslow, was a jeweler, inventor, and nautical instrument maker. In 1828, he even built his own observatory in Halifax to make astronomical observations.

Gimballed boxed marine chronometer. The face has Roman Numerals 1 through 12. Arabic numbers surround the Roman Numerals. Etched on to the face is "Richd U. Marsters, Halifax, Nova Scotia, No. 765." Brass with silver plate and glass. Gimbal ring.

Nova Scotia Museum@novascotiamuseum· May 21

The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic Boat School is officially open on the Halifax Waterfront! The school offers hands-on boat building & maritime experiences. It is especially dedicated to supporting youth from underserved communities, while fostering resilience and belonging in a welcoming space.

View from the loft of the Boat School looking down.

Visitors standing by buoys in the boat school.

Nova Scotia Museum@novascotiamuseum· May 20

On May 9, 1873, the HMS Challenger docked in Halifax. During their 10-day stay in Nova Scotia, the ship’s scientific team met with local researchers and donated a unique set of incredibly small organisms.

A top-down view of a square wooden museum storage drawer containing neatly organized scientific specimens from the HMS Challenger expedition. The drawer holds various small containers including glass vials with cork stoppers laid in rows, clear plastic tubes with black caps, small cardboard boxes, and vintage wooden microscope slides with circular glass viewing areas. Handwritten archival labels and paper tags are visible alongside the organized specimen containers.

Nova Scotia Museum@novascotiamuseum· May 20

Today is #WorldBeeDay! 🐝 Did you know a single bee can visit up to 100 flowers in just one collection trip? They are vital pollinators that support the plant and seed growth keeping our ecosystems healthy. Learn more about them on your next visit to @mnhnovascotia.bsky.social

A close-up view of a honeycomb filled with honeybees working across the hexagonal cells. Several of the open cells in the center clearly show tiny, white, translucent bee eggs laid inside.

Nova Scotia Museum@novascotiamuseum· May 15

Yesterday we were out in the field today exploring mosses and allies with Dr. Sean Haughian, Senior Curator of Botany and his Natural History Field School. Stay tuned to see what we found in this beautiful bog.

Nova Scotia Museum@novascotiamuseum· May 13

The McKay car on display at the Museum of Industry is a 4-cylinder, 40 horse power engine. A small plate identifies it as number 170. It was discovered in pieces in a barn in the Gaspareau Valley of Nova Scotia in the early 1970s & was restored for the Museum by the Pictou County Antique Auto Club.