The Future of Our Past Council of Nova Scotia Archives

The NSM is part of the provincial Department of Education and Culture and operates under the Nova Scotia Museum Act. The mandate of the Museum includes: collecting, researching and documenting Nova Scotia's natural and human history providing exhibits, programs, buildings and publications for self-directed learning helping Nova Scotia tourism by developing and maintaining high quality museums.

The Nova Scotia Museum is one of the oldest provincial museums in Canada. Its roots are in two citizens’ groups: the Halifax Mechanics Institute, founded in 1831; and the Nova Scotian Institute of Science, founded in 1862. Both societies collected books, artifacts and specimens, and scientific equipment. In 1864 private citizens approached government to use the collections for the basis of a public museum. The Provincial Museum was established in October 1868, with Rev. David Honeyman as Curator. Harry Piers followed Rev. Honeyman in 1899. Piers was Curator until 1940, and librarian of the Provincial Science Library from 1900. He was also Deputy Keeper of Public Records of Nova Scotia from 1899 until 1931, when the Public Archives of Nova Scotia opened. Donald Crowdis became Curator, following Piers in 1940. J. Lynton Martin assumed leadership of the Museum in 1965. The present Executive Director, Candace Stevenson was appointed in 1983.

Harry Piers, 1940

The Provincial Museum was conceived as a general museum of science and history. In 1947, a Museum Act was passed, changing the name to the Nova Scotia Museum of Science, and narrowing the mandate to the natural sciences. In the early years, the Museum was housed in a succession of downtown Halifax buildings. In 1951, governing authority for the Museum passed from Public Works and Mines to the Department of Education (now the Department of Education and Culture). The nature of the Museum began to change again, with the establishment in 1955 of a History Branch housed in the Halifax Citadel. In 1960, a new Nova Scotia Museum Act broadened the scope to the natural and applied sciences and human activities in Nova Scotia, plus provision of grants to museums, organizations and individuals.

Presently there are 25 Nova Scotia Museum sites, of which 14 are operated by local societies or boards. An additional 55 community museums receive operating grants.

Below are examples of the types of records housed at the Nova Scotia Museum. Click on the images for details.

Harry Piers with museum visitors, 1935

Portrait of Richard J. Uniacke, Jr.

Parlor at Uniacke House, 1924