News release

Community Museums Encourage Economic Development

Tourism, Culture and Heritage (Dec. 2003 - Jan. 2011)

TOURISM, CULTURE AND HERITAGE--Community Museums Encourage Economic Development


It's well known that there is strength in numbers. That's why museums and heritage groups across the province are collaborating on projects designed to encourage community economic development.

This year, the Department of Tourism, Culture and Heritage invested about $147,000 into heritage projects that will benefit more than 70 community museums and heritage groups. The funding is provided through the department's Strategic Development Initiative fund, which supports projects focused on increasing self sufficiency in the province's growing heritage sector. Other partners contributed an additional $130,000 towards these projects.

"Nova Scotia has a rich and diverse network of heritage organizations," said Rodney MacDonald, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Heritage. "We're pleased to invest in projects that benefit local communities and help museums attract visitors."

The Dartmouth Heritage Museum is leading the Passage project, which involves 54 museums in the province. The project received $89,196 to develop an information management tool which will help the museums manage their collections, and make more of the province's heritage information available online.

"Passage is a first -- a model of community museums working co- operatively on a project of this scope," said Anita Price, curator at the Dartmouth Heritage Museum. "It is a powerful example of broad community buy-in and strong government support leading to the creation of a uniquely Nova Scotian information resource."

The Creamery Square Association in Tatamgouche received $10,000 to co-locate four museums and an archives facility into a single heritage multiplex within the Tatamagouche Creamery.

"Volunteers from more than 10 local organizations are demonstrating that with a strong spirit of willingness and co- operation, they can reach their dream to create a major attraction at the Creamery site," said Floyd Tucker, president of the Creamery Square Association.

Established in the spring of 2000, the Strategic Development Initiative fund encourages community museums to partner with private, non-profit and government organizations to build relationships for sustainable economic development in rural Nova Scotia.


Note: Following are the 10 projects receiving support from the Strategic Development Initiative fund:

Provincial Projects:

  • Federation of Nova Scotian Heritage received $8,500 to create an online store of Nova Scotian heritage products, in partnership with other Atlantic heritage federations.
  • Federation of Nova Scotian Heritage received $4,283 to develop a handbook and conduct a series of consultation sessions on building organizational capacity, in the areas of governance and management for community museums.
  • Dartmouth Heritage Museum received $89,196 to lead the Passage project, which involves 54 museums in the province. The project will enable the museums to collectively make more heritage resources available online.

Northern region:

  • Cumberland County Museum in Amherst received $2,000 to conduct a feasibility study on adding a tea room and gift shop to its facility.
  • Wallace and Area Museum received $5,013 to develop tours and publications about Acadian settlement along the Northumberland Strait.
  • Creamery Square Association received $10,000 to co-locate four museums and an archives facility into a single heritage multiplex within the Tatamagouche Creamery.

Southern region:

  • Hants Regional Development Authority received $6,000 to produce a heritage/tourism brochure and accompanying road signage that will link various heritage attractions along the Fundy shoreline. The collaborative project involves five museums and heritage societies in Hants County.
  • Municipality of the District of Digby received $7,074 to create a CD-ROM containing information on 500 heritage homes throughout the district. It will be distributed to area high schools, museums, historical societies and libraries.

Halifax Regional Municipality:

  • Dartmouth Heritage Museum received $2,025 to conduct a feasibility study to determine the potential for offering heritage-learning vacation packages.
  • Lake Charlotte Area Heritage Society received $13,200 to research, design, develop and prototype several new and exclusive heritage products and to organize the sale of these products online.