Land Acknowledgement and Commitment:
The Association of Nova Scotia Museums (ANSM) is located on the traditional and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq. We extend our appreciation for the opportunity to live and learn on this territory in mutual respect and gratitude.
ANSM is a members-based organization that supports museums throughout the province. Due to historical and systemic biases, museums do not currently represent the experience of all Nova Scotians. The loss of language and the colonization of cultural identity, including Mi’kmaq, African Nova Scotian, Acadian, and Gaelic communities, has resulted in incomplete and inaccurate representations of cultural groups.
Narratives relating to Indigenous peoples, Nova Scotia as the birthplace of African presence in Canada for over 400 years, including enslavement and abolition, and the role of women, people of colour, LGBTQ2S+ people, and recent refugees and immigrants have not been adequately represented or made accessible.
We—ANSM, museums, and the greater heritage community—are actively addressing these challenges together. ANSM is using our training, resources, tools such as NovaMuse, and programs like TRACK, to work towards the inclusion of these stories in partnership with communities. We are creating spaces and collections in which all Nova Scotians will see their reflection.
Our Purpose:
To nurture excellence in and champion on behalf of museums in Nova Scotia.
Our Vision:
ANSM is a vibrant not-for-profit organization led by our members. We are a national leader in the museum community that collaborates with many and diverse partners to provide relevant and engaging services that strengthen museums. We celebrate that museums in Nova Scotia are ever-changing. They reflect and are actively engaged in their communities, are environmentally and financially sustainable, and operate according to professional standards. Our natural and cultural history becomes inspiration for a better tomorrow.
Our Values:
The following values underpin what ANSM does and how we work:
• Service – meet the needs of member museums so that together we can meet the needs of communities.
• Advocacy – act as a champion on behalf of and raise awareness about museums in Nova Scotia.
• Collaboration – engage in activities with local, provincial, national, and international partners that benefit our members and the museum sector.
• Inclusivity – recognize historical and systemic practices in museums, decolonize these practices, and work with museums and equity-deserving groups to find appropriate solutions.
• Sustainability – operate in environmentally responsible ways and work to ensure that ANSM and member museums have the resources they need to serve their communities.