Strengthening Nova Scotia's Cultural Heritage Attractions

TOURISM, CULTURE AND HERITAGE--Strengthening Nova Scotia's Cultural Heritage Attractions

Visitors to the Highland Village Museum in Iona will soon get a better taste for Gaelic life in Nova Scotia thanks to a new project being funded by the province.

The Department of Tourism, Culture and Heritage is investing $40,000 to help Highland Village develop new living history experiences, which will allow visitors to become more engaged in Gaelic crafts, traditions, language and song.

"This project will allow visitors to experience, first-hand, Nova Scotia's rich Gaelic culture," said Rodney MacDonald, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Heritage. "It also helps meet the growing demand for authentic and interactive cultural heritage activities."

Highland Village Museum will use the one-time grant to develop new animation programs and interpretive components, with an emphasis on providing hands-on experiences for visitors.

Nova Scotia's 2005 Tourism Plan identified the need to create and expand new living history experiences for visitors. This project will allow the museum to develop world-class programming relating to the province's unique Gaelic culture. Outside of Scotland, Cape Breton Island is the only place in the world where Gaelic is still used as a daily language.

"Our goal with this project is to bring Gaelic culture to life throughout the Highland Village Museum site," said Rodney Chaisson, director, Highland Village. "This funding will enable us to create new experiential activities and opportunities for our visitors based on our rich cultural traditions."

Today's investment is part of $15 million in funding announced by Mr. MacDonald in December 2004. That funding is designed to help boost Nova Scotia's tourism industry in the areas of marketing, product development, and regional tourism initiatives.