Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 facts for kids
Entrance to the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 in 2010.
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| Established | 1999 |
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| Location | Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada |
| Type | Immigration Museum |
| Owner | Pier 21 Society (1999–2011) Government of Canada (2011–present) |
The Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, is Canada's national museum about immigration. This museum is located at Pier 21, which used to be a busy place where ships arrived and immigrants entered Canada from 1928 to 1971. Pier 21 is the last building of its kind in Canada that was used for ocean immigration. It's often compared to Ellis Island in the United States because it was so important for people coming to Canada in the mid-1900s. Other important immigration spots in Canada's history include Grosse Isle, Quebec and Partridge Island in Saint John, New Brunswick. The museum started in 1999, run by a group called the Pier 21 Society. In 2011, it became a national museum managed by the Canadian government.
Contents
The Story of Pier 21
The museum is located in the old Pier 21 immigration building. This building was constructed in 1928 as part of the Ocean Terminals in Halifax. Pier 21 was very important during World War II and when many people moved to Canada in the 1940s and 1950s. The immigration terminal at Pier 21 closed in 1971.
From the 1970s to 1991, Pier 21 was home to the Nova Scotia Nautical Institute. This was a school for people who wanted to work on ships. In the 1990s, artists used the old immigration areas as studios. The pier itself became a popular dock for cruise ships. On September 22, 1997, the site was named a National Historic Site. This means it's a very important place in Canada's history.
How the Museum Started
In 1985, a group called the Pier 21 Society was created by J.P. LeBlanc. Their goal was to raise money and get people interested in the old building again. Ruth Goldbloom became the group's second president in 1993. She helped quickly turn the property into a National Historic Site and a museum.
Working with the Halifax Port Authority, Pier 21 reopened as a museum on Canada Day in 1999. Its new job was to celebrate the 1.5 million immigrants who passed through its doors.
Becoming a National Museum
In 2009, the Government of Canada and other groups agreed to support a new national museum at Pier 21. On June 25, 2009, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced plans for this new national museum. Later that year, Pier 21 was featured on the CBC show "Seven Wonders of Canada".
On February 7, 2011, Pier 21 officially became Canada's sixth national museum. It was only the second national museum located outside of Canada's capital city. From 2012 to 2015, readers of The Coast newspaper voted the museum bronze for Best Museum.
What You Can See at the Museum
The Pier 21 Journey
The Pier 21 Story exhibit shows visitors what it was like to arrive in Canada through Pier 21. This was between 1928 and 1971. You can open pretend children's suitcases to see what five immigrant children might have brought. You can also walk through a copy of the train cars that new immigrants took to continue their journey. You can even dress up as some of the staff and volunteers who worked at Pier 21.
Exhibit Highlights
- Before Pier 21
- Why Halifax
- A Gateway to Canada
- The Transatlantic Voyage
- The Cabin
- Arrival
- Medical Facilities
- What Pier 21 Means to Me
- Assembly Hall
- Bronfman Theatre
- Colonist Car
- Major Immigration Waves
- Pier 21 Memories Album
- People of the Pier
Canada's Immigration History
The Canadian Immigration Hall tells the story of 400 years of immigration to Canada. It covers everything from the first meetings with First Nations people to today. A special map lets visitors see how migration has changed over time. The BMO Oral History Gallery has almost 200 stories from immigrants. You can listen to these stories by choosing different topics.
This exhibit has four main parts: Journey, Arrival, Belonging, and Impact.
Special Exhibitions
From November 23, 2015, to November 13, 2016, the museum hosted "Empress of Ireland: Canada's Titanic". This exhibit was about the thousands of passengers who traveled on the RMS Empress of Ireland. It also told the story of its sinking on May 29, 1914, after a crash with another ship.
Walls of Remembrance
Wall of Service
The Wall of Service remembers Pier 21 as the place where over 500,000 Canadians left for the Second World War. It honors soldiers, sailors, air force members, war brides, and others who served. Bricks can be bought to remember someone, and they are shown at the museum and on a virtual wall online.
The Sobey Wall of Honour
The Sobey Wall of Honour celebrates people who chose Canada as their home. These individuals helped build Canada into the nation it is today. Bricks are purchased to honor these people and are displayed at the museum's entrance.
Wadih M. Fares Wall of Tribute
The Wadih M. Fares Wall of Tribute recognizes community and cultural groups. These groups have a special connection to Pier 21 and immigration to Canada. Groups can buy bricks to be displayed in the Hall of Tribute. The wall is named after Wadih M. Fares, who came to Canada from Lebanon in 1976.
Museum Collections
The Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 has a collection of physical items and many oral history recordings. The museum has 2,000 stories, 500 recorded interviews, 700 books, 300 films, and thousands of old pictures. It also has scans of immigration and WWII documents. Many of these can be found on the museum's website. You can also contact the Scotiabank Family History Centre to access them.
The museum's story collection now includes stories from all parts of Canada's history. It covers immigration from the very beginning (including First Nations) and focuses on all immigration from 1867 to today. The museum is always collecting new family histories.
Oral historians record interviews at the museum and sometimes in other cities. These interviews are very important for the museum's collection. They help preserve and share the stories of all Canadians.
The image collection has thousands of scanned newspaper clippings, immigration documents, and ship items. It also includes digital photos given by families and organizations. The museum actively collects personal and family stories about coming to Canada.
MS St. Louis Memorial
On January 20, 2011, a special sculpture called the "Wheel of Conscience" was put on display at Pier 21. It remembers the German ship MS St. Louis's journey in 1939. Over 900 Jewish passengers were fleeing the early stages of the Holocaust. They were turned away from many North American ports. Sadly, a quarter of them were later killed in the Holocaust.
The memorial was designed by Daniel Libeskind. It is a shiny stainless steel wheel. It has four gears that get smaller, representing the reasons the refugees were turned away: antisemitism, xenophobia, racism, and hatred. On the back of the memorial is a list of all the passengers from the MS St. Louis. The sculpture is now a permanent part of the museum's main lobby.
Programs and Services
Researching Your Family History
The Scotiabank Family History Centre (SFHC) is on the main floor of the museum. It has a large collection of books, magazines, and old records. These resources are about the Pier 21 National Historic Site and immigration in Canada. They focus on how immigrants have helped shape Canadian life.
The SFHC helps people from all over the world trace their family histories. While it doesn't store original historical records, it has many tools to help you start or continue your search. You can look for basic arrival information for anyone who came through a Canadian port between 1865 and 1935. Records for people arriving through Halifax, Quebec City, Montreal, or Saint John between 1925 and 1935 are available on microfilm.
If you visit the museum, staff can help you explore documents. They can help you find an immigration record or your original immigrant ancestor. You can also send research requests online through the museum's website.
Public Programs and Events
Artist-in-Residence Program
The museum hosts an Artist-in-Residence each year. In 2021, Aquil Virani created a project called "Our Immigrant Stories." It invited the public to celebrate immigrant heroes in their lives.
Diversity Spotlight Film Series
This program partners with community groups across Canada. It explores different topics about immigration, cultural heritage, and multiculturalism. They show documentaries and international films for free.
Pier 21 Reads
Pier 21 Reads features Canadian authors whose books are about immigration. This could be from their own experiences or the stories of their characters. This program is offered in English and French. It's a chance to meet authors and hear them talk about their work. Authors like Esi Edugyan, Lawrence Hill, and Kim Thúy have participated.
School Programs
All school programs, including tours and workshops, are available in French and English. Different programs explore immigration topics for various grade levels.
Celebrating New Citizens
The museum often hosts official citizenship ceremonies. Over the years, about 1000 immigrants have become new Canadians at the museum. A special Canada Day citizenship ceremony is held every year.
Other Services
The museum also has a Café and a Gift Shop. You can find souvenirs related to the museum and Nova Scotia. Local crafts are also available.
After renovations in 2015, Pier 21 now offers new spaces for rent. The museum's location is popular for events like weddings, conferences, and corporate gatherings. Over 200 events are hosted there each year.
Meet Fenton Bear, the Museum Mascot!
Fenton Bear is the official mascot of the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21. He first appeared in the spring of 2015. Fenton is a great dancer and has been the star of video contests. He was created for the museum's junior education program, Teddy Bear's Journey. This program helps children explore immigration through the eyes of stuffed animals. Fenton was named after Fenton Crossman, an immigration officer who worked at the Pier a long time ago. Today, Fenton greets cruise ships, attends festivals, and surprises visitors.
