Grand Manan Museum facts for kids
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| Established | 23 June 1967 |
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| Location | 1141 Route 776 in Grand Harbour, New Brunswick |
| Type | Local museum |
The Grand Manan Museum is located in Grand Harbour on Grand Manan Island, New Brunswick, Canada. It collects and shows things that tell the story of the island and its people. Through its displays and activities, it helps visitors learn about the island's history, culture, and nature. The museum has over 18 main exhibits. One very special part is the Allan Moses Bird Gallery, which has more than 300 stuffed birds. The museum also has a gift shop where you can find unique items. These include prints, wood carvings, and postcards by local artists.
Discovering Grand Manan's Past
The Grand Manan Museum opened its doors on June 23, 1967. It was created thanks to the hard work of L. Keith Ingersoll and other island residents. They formed a group called the Gerrish House Society in 1961. Their main goal was to build a museum. They wanted to save local history and find a permanent home for a special bird collection. This collection of stuffed birds was given to the community by Allan Moses in 1951.
The Gerrish House Society became a non-profit group in 1962. Their purpose was to build and run a museum and science center. The project was chosen as a special "Centennial project" for Canada's 100th birthday. It received money from the Canadian government. The provincial government and public donations also helped fund the museum. In 1974, the Gerrish House Society changed its name to Grand Manan Museum Inc.
Grand Manan Archives
The Grand Manan Archives is a special project connected to the museum. It works with the Grand Manan Historical Society. The archives keep many important records. These include maps, written documents, artwork, and old photographs. They help preserve the island's memory.
Amazing Museum Collections
Allan Moses Bird Gallery
This is the biggest collection at the museum. It features over 300 stuffed birds from the Grand Manan area. These birds are displayed in 18 different cases. Allan Moses was a naturalist and conservationist from Grand Manan. He was also a very skilled taxidermist, which means he was good at preparing and stuffing animals to look lifelike. His father and grandfather, who moved to Grand Manan in 1872, were also taxidermists. All three generations helped create this amazing bird collection. The gallery also has items related to L.K. Ingersoll, who helped start the museum.
Walter B. McLaughlin Marine Gallery
This gallery is two stories tall and focuses on the ocean. It was built around a large Fresnel lens from the Gannet Rock Lighthouse. This lens is a special type of light used in lighthouses. The exhibits here explore the history of building ships and boats. You can also learn about lighthouses and the people who worked in them. Displays show how island ferries worked and tell stories of the first people to settle on the island.
The gallery also explains different types of fishing. You can learn about weir fishing, scallop and ground fish dragging, and lobster fishing.
Shipwreck Stories
The Marine Gallery has a special exhibit about shipwrecks. It remembers the many ships that crashed on or near Grand Manan. Some of the shipwrecks you can learn about include the Lord Ashburton (1857) and the Queen (1841). Other famous wrecks are the Turkish Empire (1879), Gypsum King (1906), and Hestia (1909).
Fisherman's Shed and Buoys
On the lower level of the gallery, there is a recreated fisherman's shed. This shows what a real shed used by fishermen would have looked like. There is also a display of lobster trap buoys. These include old wooden buoys that were used a long time ago.
L. Keith Ingersoll Wing
L.K. Ingersoll was one of the first directors of the Grand Manan Museum. He was also a historian, a fisherman, and a newspaper writer. This part of the museum has a research library and a lecture hall. It also has a meeting room. The L.K. Ingersoll Memorial Gallery in this wing is mainly used for temporary exhibits.
The Dark Harbour Hermits
The Ingersoll Memorial Gallery has a permanent exhibit about "The Dark Harbour Hermits and Dulsing on Grand Manan." The "hermits" were two brothers, Lucy and Darby Greene. In the 1920s and 1930s, they spent their summers harvesting dulse in Dark Harbour. Dulse is a type of edible seaweed. The brothers were very entertaining to visitors. They became a major tourist attraction on Grand Manan at that time.
Grand Manan's Geology
The museum also has a permanent exhibit called "Geology of Grand Manan." This exhibit is in the Ingersoll Wing. It was updated in 2011 by Greg McHone, a geologist who lives on the island. It teaches visitors about the rocks and landforms of Grand Manan.
Deep Cove School House
The Deep Cove school was a one-room schoolhouse. It was open from 1869 to 1947. The building was moved to the Grand Manan Museum property in 1963. You can visit it and imagine what school was like long ago.
Other Interesting Exhibits
Willa Cather's Island Connection
The main entrance area of the museum has an exhibit about Willa Cather. She was an American writer who won a famous award called the Pulitzer Prize in 1923. She won it for her novel "One of Ours". Willa Cather and her partner, Edith Lewis, spent many summers enjoying the island.
A 1929 Island Kitchen
This exhibit shows what a kitchen on Grand Manan looked like in 1929. It has many items that islanders used in their homes before electricity came to the island. It's like stepping back in time!
The Graham Hearse
For three generations, the Graham family provided funeral services on the island. In 2010, their old hearse was given to the museum. A hearse is a vehicle used to carry a coffin at a funeral.
