Age of Sail Heritage Centre facts for kids
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| Established | 1994 |
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| Location | 8334 Route 209 Port Greville, Nova Scotia Canada |
| Type | Community and Marine Museum |
The Age of Sail Heritage Centre (also called the Age of Sail Heritage Museum) is a cool museum in Port Greville, Nova Scotia, Canada. It teaches visitors all about the history of the Parrsboro Shore communities. These communities are found along the Minas Channel of the Bay of Fundy. The museum especially focuses on how important shipbuilding and lumbering (cutting down trees for wood) were to the area.
What You'll See at the Museum
The museum is made up of several old buildings. These buildings were moved to a central spot next to the beautiful Greville River. The main building used to be a Methodist Church, built way back in 1854.
Besides the main building, you can also find a cafe and gift shop here. There's also the historic Port Greville Lighthouse. You can explore a boat shed, a blacksmith shop, and a band saw shed too. Several walking trails start from the museum. They lead you to interesting historical spots and natural areas along the river.
How the Museum Started
The idea for the heritage centre began in 1981. A group called the Greville Bay Recreation and Development Group wanted to improve the Port Greville area. At first, they created a picnic park. They also built and took care of washrooms and a picnic area.
In 1988, Ross Colins, who led the group, suggested starting a museum. Then, in 1991, the Greville Bay Shipbuilding Museum Society was officially formed. Their goal was to protect and share the area's "working heritage." They wanted a "hands-on shipbuilding museum." It would focus on the Parrsboro Shore's long history of lumbering and shipbuilding.
Later in 1991, the group started clearing and cleaning the museum site. They also put up an information building. In 1992, the McLeod family gave them an old building. It was once called Cochrane Hall and was originally a Methodist church from 1854. This building was carefully taken apart and moved 2 kilometers to the museum site. It sat there for a year while money was raised for its reconstruction. In 1993, the rebuilding work began.
In 1994, the Age of Sail Heritage Centre Museum officially opened its doors to the public. After its first year, the centre even won an award for its cool and new design. In 2011, the museum expanded. This new space allows for public events, research, and better care for their collections.
Museum Collections and Staff
The museum mostly runs thanks to amazing volunteers from the community. Each season, a curator (someone who manages the collections) and two or three students are hired. The museum has over 2,000 items in its collections! These include old-fashioned clothing, hand tools, models of ships, and equipment. There are also many old photographs and important historical documents. The museum is one of the popular places to visit on the Fundy Shore Ecotour.
