Nova Scotia Museum Offers March Break Activities for Families

Students and families can take part in a variety of entertaining activities, events and experiences at Nova Scotia Museum sites across the province during March Break.

"The Nova Scotia Museum is making life better for families by providing excellent learning opportunities for young people, including interactive exhibits and activities about animals, geology, farming, firefighting, outer space and Nova Scotia's marine history," said Communities, Culture and Heritage Minister Leonard Preyra. "What better way for families to spend time together over March Break than to visit our museums and learn about our communities, culture and heritage."

In Halifax, Nova Scotians of all ages can rediscover seafaring traditions of the past and show off their favourite pirate gear as part of activities and crafts at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. The Museum of Natural History will offer a chance to interact with live desert animals such as African rock pythons, chuckwallas and a pancake tortoise.

"Excitement is building among the museum crew as they prepare the final touches to the March Break Pirate Adventures at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic," said long-time museum volunteer Tom Rissesco. "Merlin Macaw, hoisting sails, gun decks, navigation challenges, caulking the hull, firing the cannon, pirates everywhere – families will have a seafaring good time at the museum."

Some other exciting events over the March 9-17 break will let families:

• enjoy authentic, 19th-century farm experiences at Ross Farm Museum in New Ross
• discover life at sea, up close and personal at the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic in Lunenburg
• discover the history of firefighting in Nova Scotia at the Firefighters' Museum in Yarmouth
• enjoy half a billion years of rocks, minerals and dinosaurs at the Fundy Geological Museum in Parrsboro
• celebrate the adventure of outer space, To the Stars and Beyond, at the Museum of Industry in Stellarton.

Established in 1868, the Nova Scotia Museum is one of the oldest provincial museums in Canada. Its 27 museum sites include over 200 historic buildings, living history sites, vessels, and close to a million artifacts and specimens.

For information on all museums, activities, museum locations, admission rates and hours of operation, go to http://museum.gov.ns.ca .

Follow the Nova Scotia Museum on Twitter @ns_museum.