Acadian House Museum facts for kids
| L'Acadie de Chezzetcook | |
| Established | 2000 house built: 1850 |
|---|---|
| Location | 79 Hill Road West Chezzetcook, Nova Scotia |
| Type | Open air museum |
| Collection size | +1,000 |
| Visitors | 1,000 (2013) |
The Acadian House Museum is a special place in West Chezzetcook, Nova Scotia, Canada. It opened in 1997 and helps visitors learn about Acadian history. It's known as a "living" and "interpretive" museum. This means you can see how people lived in the past and also learn about their culture. The museum has five buildings. Two of these buildings are original to the land, including the main Bellefontaine house. This house was built around 1850. Many families lived there before it became a museum.
Contents
Discover the Museum's Past
A Look Back: The Museum's History
The main Acadian House was built in 1850 by Joseph Bellefontaine. When he passed away in 1897, his wife, Céleste, took over the house. Later, Céleste gave the house to her brothers, Georges and Oliver Bonnevie.
In 1919, Georges' daughter, Jenny, bought the house from her father and uncle. Jenny and her husband ran a small store from their side porch for many years. In 1946, Jenny passed the house to a distant relative, James Redmond.
Later, in 1960, Eugène Bellefontaine bought the house. His son, Benjamin Bellefontaine, then owned it from 1973. Finally, in 1997, a local group called the West Chezzetcook & Grand Desert Community Interest Group bought the house. They turned it into the museum you can visit today, officially opening it in 2000.
Exploring the Museum Grounds
What You'll See: Buildings on Site
The Acadian House Museum has three buildings you can tour. Each one helps tell the story of the area.
The Gallery House
The "Gallery House" is where your visit begins. It teaches guests about the history of Chezzetcook. This building also has the museum's gift shop. The Gallery House wasn't originally on this land. It was moved here in 2000 from Grand Desert, Nova Scotia.
La Musée (The Museum)
"La Musée" is the main house. The first floor is filled with artifacts that show what life was like long ago. These items are from the time period the house represents. The second floor is used for storing artifacts and is not open to the public.
La Cabano (The Shed)
"La Cabano" is a shed built to look like old sheds from the past. Inside, you'll find tools and items related to farming and fishing. You can see things used for raising animals and other daily tasks.
La Grange (The Barn)
"La Grange" is the barn. It was built in 2005. It looks like an old barn from the past, but it has modern features inside. This barn is mostly used for special events held at the museum.
La Cuisine de Brigitte (The Tearoom)
"La Cuisine de Brigitte," also known as The Tearoom, is a cafe. It's separate from the museum but works closely with it. The Tearoom serves traditional Acadian food. It often provides food for events held at the museum.
Inside the Acadian House Museum
Discovering History: How the Museum Works
Not many changes have been made to the main house since it became a museum in 1997. The upstairs, which was unfinished, was completed to store artifacts. Some ceilings and floors were redone. This work was done carefully, based on expert advice and local history research. The original layout of the house has been kept the same.
The museum is a mix of a "living" and "interpretive" museum. The main house itself is the "living" part. Experts did a lot of research to make sure the kitchen and pantry look exactly like they would have in the 1850s. The back part of the museum shows a recreated parlor and master bedroom. Another room holds different temporary exhibits. For example, in 2020, there was an exhibit of old clothing.
The "interpretive" part of the museum is in the Gallery House. Here, visitors can explore different rooms. There's an industries room, a room for family history (genealogy), and an upstairs area. The upstairs holds religious artifacts, mostly from the local church, St. Anselm's.
The museum often hires local students who speak both English and French. They work as tour guides during the summer.
Fun Events at the Museum
Seasonal Celebrations and Activities
The museum's regular season is usually from July to August. However, it hosts many local events throughout the year.
Summer Fun
During the summer, the museum often has an open house. They also celebrate Canada Day and the Feast of Assumption. Day camps for children are held in the summer too. These camps focus on teaching the French language and local history.
Fall and Winter Festivities
In the fall and winter, the museum hosts celebrations for Halloween, Christmas, and New Year.
What to Expect at Events
Most events at the museum feature live music from local artists. You can also see demonstrations of butter-making and clam-shelling. They often have outdoor oven-baking demonstrations too. Plus, free museum tours are usually offered during these events!
