News Release Archive

NS MUSEUM--TEDDY BEARS EXHIBIT PUT TO BED
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After a run of five weeks, one of Nova Scotia's most "cuddly"
museum exhibits in recent years closed on Sunday, Jan. 5.

"Teddy Bears AHOY!", which had opened at the Maritime Museum of
the Atlantic in Halifax Dec. 1, attracted nearly 10,000 visitors,
raised $1,275 for the IWK/Grace Foundation through a teddy bear
raffle, and collected several hundred pounds of food for the
Metro Food Bank.

The bears and their owners were not restricted to the
Halifax-Dartmouth metro area, but also come from communities as
far away as Louisbourg, in Cape Breton, to Meteghan River, Digby
County.

Visitors came not only from Nova Scotia but from other parts of
Canada and around the world, including Los Angeles, Holland,
Sweden, Australia, Italy and Finland.

At 9626 people, the Museum more than tripled its attendance for
the same period in previous years and although a large number of
the visitors were children, thousands of adults enjoyed viewing
the exhibit as well. This positive response was rewarding for
staff and volunteers at the Maritime Museum. "We're thrilled with
the response" said Gerry Lunn, one of the event's organizer's.
"You can count on there being at least a second annual Teddy
Bears AHOY!"

"We'd like to express our sincere thanks to those who so
generously loaned us their bears - the event would not have been
possible without them."

The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic is located at 1675 Lower
Water Street, Halifax.

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Contact: Gerry Lunn  902-424-7490

trp                      Jan. 15, 1997 - 9:45 a.m.