What is Accreditation? Museums will receive the new ‘Accredited Museum’ designation if they meet the necessary program requirements listed below. This Assessment program is now managed by ANSM, as of 2022, and replaces the former Museum Evaluation Program (MEP). The Accredited Museum designation will provide museums with proof of meeting good practices of museological standards and practices for visitors, funders, and supporters.
ANSM is excited to announce that the following museums have received the new designation of “Accredited Museum.”
The Age of Sail Heritage Centre was incorporated in 1992 and is located in Port Greville. Its mission is to inspire an understanding and appreciation of the lumbering and seafaring history through interactive displays and discussion while fostering connections and relationships. The museum has a strong connection to the local community, hosting a weekly coffee and tea social as well as an annual live Nativity scene which raises funds for the Pastoral Charge. The Shore Drive Community Development Association recognizes the museum as a strong partner that is especially good at coordinating, fundraising, and promoting community activities. The Centre’s Board of Directors is proud of how far the museum has come, growing from a single display building to a site with seven display buildings, a café and gift shop, which has received international attention. Accreditation, to the Board, is a symbol of accomplishment and validation that the museum has achieved a level of operation and standards that is worthy of attention from the community and public.
Oralee O’Byrne
Executive Director
(902)-348-2030 or (902)-254-2079
gbsmsageofsail@yahoo.com
Located within the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site, The Army Museum was founded in 1953. The museum is dedicated to the collection, preservation and exhibition of material related to the military history of Atlantic Canada, with a focus on Nova Scotia, and to preserving the memory of Atlantic Canada’s soldiers. The museum has become the “go to” for media interviews on matters concerning military history and in 2021 was the filming location for a two-part television show produced by Cleresy Entertainment for Eastlink Television called Militaria. They continued with their collaboration for a second season of the Militaria in 2022. The Halifax Citadel Society notes the vital working relationship with The Army Museum since 1993, jointly running the visitor experience program at the National Historic Site. Together the partners have worked together to ensure that visitors have the opportunity to engage with a large range of topics and experiences through exhibitions and programming. The Army Museum is most proud of the way that it discusses the difficult and often traumatic subject of war in an amenable and non-confrontational way. With an emphasis on the human story, the museum has focused on incorporating equity, diversity, and inclusion into its interpretation with a focus on the stories of First Nations, African Nova Scotians, and Acadian soldiers. For the museum, Accreditation honours the museum’s credibility and demonstrates that staff are implementing important peer-vetted change.
Corinne MacLellan
Board Member
(902) 209-3234
corinne@groupatn.ca
The Atlantic Canada Aviation Museum (ACAM), founded in 1977, is operated by a dedicated group of volunteers. Located across the highway from the Halifax Stanfield International Airport, the museum has the most comprehensive collection east of Ottawa, including 25 aircraft, armaments, uniforms, engines and thousands of other aviation related artifacts.
ACAM’s mission is to be the centre of excellence for the preservation of Atlantic Canada’s aviation history, to engage with the community to celebrate that history, educate through interpretation and programming, and inspire dreams of flight for future generations.
They accomplish their mission through various means, including interactive displays, annual events for the entire family, community outreach initiatives and partnerships with community organizations. Engineers Nova Scotia, one of the museum’s many partners, applauds ACAM for serving the public, generating interest in science, technology, engineering and math, and promoting the importance of professional standards.
The museum’s Board of Directors takes great pride in the past and present efforts of its dedicated volunteers, and sees Accreditation as the benchmark of a well-run museum.
Barry Rodenhiser
Executive Director/Curator
(902) 414-8205
info@acamuseum.ca
The Avon River Heritage Museum was founded in 1994 and is located in Avondale. Its mission is to engage and inspire the community and beyond through preserving, sharing, and celebrating Avon River area stories, heritage, arts, culture, ecology, and interrelationships among all peoples of the area and their environment.
The museum hosts weekly barbecues to facilitate discussion and action on local issues, and facilitates monthly art demonstrations, among many other community initiatives. The Full Circle Festival Society applauds the museum for being its partner in bringing people together to celebrate arts and culture, while supporting the local community.
The museum’s Board of Directors is also proud of the excellent collaborations they have with cultural organizations which enable them to extend their reach into new communities of people. The Board believes that Accreditation publicly validates the museum’s accomplishments and commitment to excellence, will facilitate growth and learning, and demonstrates to the local community that its efforts have been recognized externally.
Tacha Reed
Facility Manager
(902) 757-2233
tacha.reed@gmail.com
Founded in 1976, the Colchester Historeum is located in Truro. The museum’s mission is to preserve and present Colchester County’s past by striving to offer an authentic and inclusive perspective of local history and culture through community and visitor engagement. Using contemporary methods of interpretation, collections management, and education, the museum encourages conversation, understanding, and meaningful connections between all individuals. The museum has become a strong ally for those in the 2SLGBTQIA+ communities through its hosting of the exhibit “Colchester Pride: The History of the Gay Community, 2SLGBTQIA+ Rights, and Truro Pride.” The museum has also proven itself an ally to the African Nova Scotian community who they worked alongside to help uncover the forgotten history of Jollytown and advocate for recognition of the No.2 Construction Battalion’s contributions to the First World War. The Downtown Truro Partnership recognizes the museum as a valuable community asset through their unique learning experiences, exhibits, and archival holdings that offer a direct connection to the region’s past. With a dedication to growth, the museum has many accomplishments to be proud of, ranging from special exhibits and public programming to the development of curriculum-based school programs. Accreditation for the museum reflects the successes and efforts made by the museum’s Board, staff and volunteers, and demonstrates its importance and value to the community.
Kirby Ross
Manager
(902) 895-6284
manager@colchesterhistoreum.ca
Cole Harbour Heritage Farm Museum opened in 1976, within what remained of an original Cole Harbour farm. It encompasses 8 heritage buildings, gardens and green spaces, and a protected wetland with boardwalk within a three acre area. It is a rural oasis now surrounded by modern development. With a mission to actively involve the public in awareness and protection of natural and cultural resources and foster appreciation and respect for community – past, present, and future, the Museum partners with local farms and promotes sustainability, agricultural awareness, and food literacy. The Cole Harbour Parks and Trails Association, which grew from the environmental arm of the Cole Harbour Rural Heritage Society, values the Museum for its collaborative development of interpretive material on display along local trails and at the Cole Harbour Heritage Park. The Museum is very proud of its unique ability to provide meaningful connection with farming of the past and present, as well as build awareness of sustainable farming practices and the natural environment. The Museum is incredibly grateful to become accredited by the Association of Nova Scotia Museums;, Accreditation builds trust and pride within the local community and is a validation of almost 50 years of hard work and accomplishments.
Janice Kirkbright
Executive Director
(902) 434-0222
director@coleharbourfarmmuseum.ca
The DesBrisay Museum can trace its roots to 1860 when a town lawyer, Mather Byles DesBrisay, began collecting artifacts. The museum has the distinction of being the oldest municipally owned collection in Nova Scotia, with the current home being completed as Bridgewater’s Centennial Project in 1967.
The museum’s mission is to celebrate the community’s heritage, arts and culture through research, preservation, interpretation and exhibits. The museum is actively engaged in its community, including providing research support to Heritage Carpentry students of the Nova Scotia Community College and holding art-related programs for young adults in cooperation with the south shore chapter of Autism Nova Scotia. The latter partner applauds the museum for being such a committed and forward-thinking organization.
The museum is excited about its new community partnerships that have expanded programming, and sees Accreditation as a celebration not only for the museum’s staff, but also for the town to have recognition of the care taken and pride felt for the roots upon which Bridgewater is built.
Patrick Hirtle
Communication Manager (Town of Bridgewater)
(902) 541-4388
patrick.hirtle@bridgewater.ca
Lynette de Montreuil
Culture, Heritage, And Events Coordinator
902-298-0452
lynette.demontreuil@bridgewater.ca
Opened in 1982, the Fultz House Museum is located in Sackville. The museum aims to collect, preserve, and present the history and interests of Sackville, Lucasville, Beaver Bank/Kinsac and the surrounding area. The museum has worked closely with the African Nova Scotia community of Lucasville to re-establish their historic boundaries that were lost when the HRM amalgamated and introduced civic addresses. The museum was instrumental in presenting old maps, deeds, and land grants which helped to re-establish the community’s historic boundaries in 2017. The Sackville Business Association recognizes the Fultz House Museum as one of Sackville’s most important community assets. In addition to preserving and sharing the history of Sackville and the families that originally settled here, it also serves as a hub and gathering spot for residents. One of the museums recent proud moments was opening of the Carriage House that was funded by their community and municipal government. The Carriage House along with their replica stagecoach, original mailbox artifact that was once in the kitchen window when the post office was operated from Fultz House, all add to the story of the what Fultz Corner looked like in the late 1800’s. One can picture the stagecoach arriving with mail, dropping it off at Fultz House, stopping at Twelve Mile House for food and/or rest, and leaving the Fultz Corner taking one of the Two Great Roads to Truro or the valley.
Established in 1980, the Kings County Museum is located in the historic Devil’s Half Acre, now known as the Town of Kentville. The museum’s mission is to collect, preserve, and interpret the cultural and natural history of Kings County. The museum recently unveiled a mural by Mi’kmaq artist Alan Syliboy in a prominent exterior location of the old courthouse, is developing a new community room on-site, and is actively working to make the collection more easily accessible to the public. The Kentville Business Community is proud to have a museum in the town that understands its work is not confined to the four walls of the building. They applaud the museum for its vital role in the annual Multicultural Festival, commitment to long-term programming recognizing the importance of sharing Indigenous teachings and stories, as well as exhibits and stories relating to the historic African Nova Scotian community of Gibson Woods. The museum is most proud of its dedicated volunteer base, which is instrumental in delivering programs and services to the community. It values Accreditation as recognition that the museum has met and is upholding current museum standards.
The Mahone Bay Museum is run by a registered non-profit organization established in 1979. The museum opened its doors in 1988, in a c.1875 heritage property. The museum’s mission is to protect and provide on-site and online access to the history of the Mahone Bay area for the benefit of future generations. With the help of local Mi’kmaw, the museum has developed the first panel of a new Mi’kmaw history exhibit and outdoor interpretive signage for the Town of Mahone Bay with a decolonized interpretation of the local area’s history. Among the museum’s many recent accomplishments, it is especially proud of the oral local history recordings, available both online and in the museum; updated walking tour pamphlets describing the town’s history; and research aids and genealogy information on Mahone Bay’s European settler families. Behind the scenes, staff are excited to have processed most of their archival backlog and reorganized the museum’s collection storage space. Being accredited means an increase of awareness about the Mahone Bay Museum throughout the province and confirmation that the museum is prioritizing important updates and upgrades.
The Margaret Fawcett Norrie Heritage Centre, located in Tatamagouche, opened in 2009 and amalgamated under one roof: The Brule Fossils, The Sunrise Trail Museum, the Anna Swan Collection and the artifacts from the Tatamagouche Creamery in which all collections mentioned are housed. The Heritage Centre’s mission is to act on behalf of the north shore of Nova Scotia in the stewardship and promotion of a diverse collection of artifacts from the prehistoric to the last millennium, and to engage in the social, economic and cultural life of the community. The museum is active in its community in a variety of ways including Village Suppers, an event that provides free meals for anyone wanting to attend. Each year the museum also provides a bursary to a graduating student from the local high school. Having worked together on a number of initiatives from events and programs to fundraisers the Grace Jollymore Joyce Arts Centre sees the museum as nothing short of committed to the community’s history, growth, and well-being. The museum is most proud of meeting provincial museum standards with a volunteer workforce. For the museum, accreditation would help validate the work that the volunteers have been doing to achieve such a high level of excellence.
Opened in 2000, Memory Lane Heritage Village is located in Lake Charlotte, one hour east of Halifax. The museum’s mission is to inspire an enduring appreciation for the heritage of the Eastern Shore in both residents and visitors. In a pandemic world the museum has continued to bring a sense of “normal” to its visitors through events like their annual Nova Scotia Forest Festival and Walk Through Christmas Past: Illuminations of a 1940s Christmas. The HRM Recreation Department in Musquodoboit Harbour praises Memory Lane for providing special opportunities for youth leaders to learn about and engage with their community’s local history and to learn valuable life skills. They also note the support the museum has given continuously by providing the environment and supplies for activities including summer camps. The museum is most proud of its volunteers who create the backbone of their organization and make everything from big projects to small tasks possible. For Memory Lane, Accreditation is about relationship building and gaining support on a broader scale. It demonstrates that the museum is committed to upholding good museological practices and continuous improvements. It also provides a sense of legitimacy to visitors.
Thea Wilson-Hammond
Executive Director
(902)-802-4664 or (902)-845-1937
admin@visitmemorylane.ca
The Northumberland Fisheries Museum opened in Pictou in 1979. The museum’s mission is to bring awareness to the public as to heritage and culture of the fishing industry, past and present, by collecting, preserving, and displaying artifacts and educating the youth of the Northumberland Strait and Gulf area.
The museum facilitates this through many initiatives, which include hosting Nova Scotia Community College fisheries training courses, working with researchers, and offering joint programming with other local heritage organizations.
Over the last ten years, the museum has made huge progress from occupying a small space to constructing a new facility on Pictou’s waterfront which has allowed an expansion of work and opened up new opportunities for further community partnerships. One of the key initiatives made possible by this move was the Lobster Stock Enhancement Project, an open-to-the-public lobster hatchery.
The Friends of the Northumberland Strait applauds the museum for always innovating and working with local partners to improve and protect the environment of the Northumberland Strait. The museum’s Board feels that being Accredited legitimizes the work that has already been done and signals to those who might not be familiar with the museum that they take its mission and operation seriously.
Codie Goodman
Manager & Curator
(902) 485-8925
info@northumberlandfisheriesmuseum.com
Darla MacKeil
Board Chair
(902) 759-2792
darlamackeil@gmail.com
Ottawa House-By-the-Sea has been in operation since 1981 and is located in Parrsboro. The museum’s mission is to preserve, showcase and celebrate the history and heritage of the Parrsborough Shore area and to generate an enthusiasm for discovery, among both locals and visitors. The museum is involved in many collaborative initiatives and provides a venue for community groups including weekly bridge clubs and rug-hooking. The Cliffs of Fundy Global Geopark views the museum as a shining example of what a non-profit, charitable museum in the province should be. Collaborating on a regular basis, the Geopark praises the museum for its educational and social opportunities as well as its stewardship of the cultural and historical artifacts of the local area. A great source of pride for the museum is that it has been able to significantly improve, restore, and maintain the building in which it is housed. Being accredited allows the museum to communicate to the community and the public at large that it is maintaining professional standards of operation. It also serves as an increased source of pride and satisfaction for staff and volunteers who have worked hard to achieve this level of success.
Harriet McCready
President Parrsborough Shore Historical Society
(902)-225-3499 or (902)-254-2092
harrietmccready@eastlink.ca
Sean Smith
Curator/Manager
(905)-254-2376
ottawa.house@ns.sympatico.ca
A group of museum representatives from across Nova Scotia worked with ANSM on a steering committee to develop the new TRACK Program that was released in March 2022. The committee created an application and review process, and developed policy and procedural guidelines for the Accreditation process that ensure industry standards are met or exceeded for all sites that receive the designation.
Museums will be able to showcase their designation on-site, as well as on promotional materials, digital platforms, and in grant applications, and will be featured on the ANSM website.
Museums must repeat the process every 4 years in order to maintain their “Accredited Museum” status. Organizations that manage multiple sites will be required to undergo evaluation for each site, as the designation is site-specific.
Accreditation is awarded to museums that excel in their assessment. The designation is awarded to sites, rather than to services, collections, individuals, or umbrella groups. Applications will be adjudicated by a peer Accreditation Panel. Museums are eligible to apply for Accreditation in their assessment year during the 4-year evaluation cycle. For full eligibility criteria please refer to the Accreditation Guide below.
The TRACK Program is the professional assessment and feedback mechanism for museum operations across Nova Scotia. Accreditation is the public acknowledgement of excellence in our museums. It demonstrates a museum’s commitment to public accountability and professional standards.
