Made in Nova Scotia
Museum of Industry in Stellarton offers unique, educational stroll through time
One cannot help feeling proud of being a Nova Scotian after a visit to the Museum of Industry in Stellarton, Pictou County. Visible from the Trans Canada Highway, this year-round museum tells the story of work and workers, and as the website says, you can find the true meaning of “made in Nova Scotia.” The museum is literally a stroll through time, starting with hand labour and moving ahead through time to the water, coal and steampowered industry, ending with electricity and technology. And all the while, the museum showcases products made in Nova Scotia through the lens of the labour force. “What I loved the most about the museum was how Nova Scotia was put in the context of the Industrial Revolution,” says Dr. David Duke, an Acadia history professor who teaches the history of science. “We always think of the revolution as a British thing, but it happened in Nova Scotia, too.”
WALK THROUGH INDUSTRY
The Museum of Industry is well laid out, weaving and winding through the exhibits, so visitors don't have to worry about which way to turn or be concerned that they will miss out on seeing something. It's one less thing to worry about during a museum visit, meaning visitors can fully enjoy the exhibits. Children will love the museum from the moment they step through the doors and are greeted by a giant train full of activities aimed towards children, where they can try tasks like shovelling coal, look through periscopes, glide down a slide, and ring the train bell. The museum itself is full of hands-on activities at every corner. Because the museum is divided into smaller nooks or sections, smaller children can wander through each area and play with the hands-on activities, giving parents a moment to read some of the information panels. Don’t miss the pressed glass puzzle matching game, or a chance to make your own box of chocolates on the assembly line. Don’t think the activities are only appropriate for toddlers and preschoolers. Only five minutes into the visit, Daniel Duke, a 12-year old from Kentville, N.S., announced how much fun he was already having. There is also something rewarding watching a 50-year-old man pumping water to make a waterwheel turn!
MODERN HISTORY
The final section of the museum focuses on the age of electricity and the shift from the industry of making products to providing services. Those old enough to remember will enjoy the story of Claritone, an electronics factory in the 1960s that was the first to use transistors for sound rather than tubes for better sound quality. Employing more than 1,200 people in Pictou County at one time, it went bust only five years later for lack of capital. Further on, show your children or grandchildren the Walkman and have them guess what it is, or have them imagine getting their hair done with the odd-looking contraptions in the salon display. The final part of the museum is an upstairs mezzanine covering the various mine disasters in Pictou County including the most recent Westray Mine disaster of 1992. Make sure to leave enough time and energy to devote to this important exhibit. Visitors with independent children can still keep a close eye on their children as they play on the big train in the foyer below while they take time to read the information panels. “Visiting the museum led to so many interesting family discussions with our 10- and 12-year old children,” says Duke. Allow for at least two hours to visit the Museum of Industry. It’s a place visitors will want to come back to many times as children age and gain new information from their experience, or just to feel proud of our Nova Scotian heritage and all that has been accomplished in a short period of time. What will be next?
IF YOU GO:
The Museum of Industry is part of the Nova Scotia Museum conglomerate and can be visited for free with a museum pass. Otherwise, adults are $8.90 and children three to 17 are $3.90 (subject to change). The museum is open year-round, usually from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For the most accurate information, visit museumofindustry.novascotia.ca. The museum is visible from the TransCanada Highway #104 at Exit 24 with on-site free parking, ample parking for RV, and fully accessible facilities.
SPARK DISCUSSION:
Some questions to think about while visiting the museum Was there anything that surprised you that was made in Nova Scotia? Historically, Nova Scotia was the hub of industry with both the railway and the shipping lines. When did this stop? Why did this stop? We watched Nova Scotia's industry evolve and adapt over time through the exhibits. Are we still evolving and adapting? How or why not? How do we get Nova Scotia back on the map again from industry?