New Iceland Heritage Museum facts for kids
| Location | Gimli, Manitoba |
|---|---|
| Type | History |
The New Iceland Heritage Museum is located in Gimli, Manitoba. It is a special place that keeps the history of people from Iceland alive. Many Icelanders moved to the Interlake Region of Manitoba. This area was even called New Iceland. The museum has about 3,500 old items. These items were given by local families. They help tell the story of these early settlers.
Contents
What Was New Iceland?
New Iceland was a unique area in Manitoba. It stretched about 36 miles along the west shore of Lake Winnipeg. This land was given to the Icelandic people. They ran it as their own colony. This happened from 1875 until 1881. It was a big step for the Icelandic community.
How New Iceland Was Governed
The people of New Iceland had their own government. It was called the Thingrad. This group represented the colony. They worked with the Canadian government. They even created their own special rules. These rules were like a first set of laws for their community. It helped them organize their new home.
Exploring the Museum Sites
The New Iceland Heritage Museum is not just one building. It is spread across three different places. Each place shows a different part of the Icelandic story.
Waterfront Centre Displays
The Waterfront Centre is one of the museum's sites. It has cool multi-media displays. These displays show the history of the immigrants. You can see how they lived and what items they used. It's like stepping back in time.
Lake Winnipeg Visitors Centre
Another part of the museum is the Lake Winnipeg Visitors Centre. Here, you can see a big 500-gallon aquarium. It has different kinds of fish from Lake Winnipeg. The centre also shares the history of early fishing. You can learn how important fishing was to the settlers.
Gimli Public School 1915
The third site is the Gimli Public School 1915. This building has an original classroom. It looks just like it did many years ago. You can see old items used by the Huldufólk. These were the 'hidden folk' from Iceland. This site shows what school was like for the children.
