Maritime Museum Best in Canada

The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic is likely to attract even more tourists since Reader's Digest has named it the best maritime museum in Canada.

In its June edition, the magazine lists the museum among 30 bests in the country, including best Olympian, best birdwatching, and best Atlantic views.

"The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic has a long history of entertaining and informing both visitors and Nova Scotians with knowledgeable staff and excellent exhibits on our marine heritage," said Kelliann Dean, deputy minister of Tourism, Culture and Heritage. "This national recognition is well deserved and supports our promotion of Nova Scotia as Canada's seacoast."

The museum's collection includes artifacts dating from the 1850s to the present. Reader's Digest noted the deck chair rescued from the Titanic, the CSS Acadia, and the telegraph key used by P. Vincent Coleman to keep a train with 700 passengers away from the Halifax explosion.

"Like all great museums, this one is built on the quality of its collection and the wealth of expertise and talent we have among our staff, volunteers, and partners," said museum general manager John Hennigar-Shuh. "Through authentic artifacts, we tell the stories and lore of the province's maritime heritage. It's a fascinating part of Nova Scotia's rich cultural and natural history."

As part of the Nova Scotia Museum, the maritime museum's collection is part of the provincial collection of artifacts and specimens.

The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic is the oldest and largest maritime museum in Canada. It was first established in the HMC Dockyard in Halifax in 1948 by a group of naval officers and was established in its current location at 1675 Lower Water St. in 1982. Since then, it has welcomed nearly three million visitors.