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Issue (Archive) The New Brunswick Museum (NBM) is Canada's oldest continuing museum. Its collections include natural science specimens, New Brunswick history, fine and decorative arts, archives and research library - all of which provide an invaluable resource for research, reference and education. It is dedicated to research, preserve and interpret stories and artifacts important to the province's past and future. The beginnings of the varied collections can be traced back to April 5, 1842, when physician turned geologist, Dr. Abraham Gesner opened the Museum of Natural History on Carleton Street. Gesner's collection of fossils, minerals, zoological specimens and curiosities from around the world are housed today within the collections of the NBM. The collections of the Mechanic's Institute which gave way to the Natural History Society of New Brunswick were also incorporated into the Provincial Museum which on March 27, 1929 became known as the New Brunswick Museum.
The expansion of the collections required larger quarters and on August 16, 1934, a building in the Greek Revival style appropriately in the classical proportions of Greek temples was opened at 277 Douglas Avenue. This building today houses the Archives and Research Library. In 1996, an additional 60,000 square feet of display areas opened at Market Square. Highlights include: Our Changing Earth, an intriguing tour through the complex geological history and rich fossil record of New Brunswick; and the Hall of Great Whales. Here visitors are thrilled to see a life size model and the skeleton of a North Atlantic Right Whale and learn about other marine mammals found in the Bay of Fundy and Gulf of Saint Lawrence. Other galleries tell the stories of provincial industries, and present selections from the Museum's extensive decorative and fine art collections. The Wind, Wood and Sail gallery presents the amazing Maritime story of shipbuilding in the 19th century. Visitors also enjoy guided tours and hands-on activities in the Discovery Gallery. In addition to the permanent displays, temporary displays with special significance are periodically opened there as well. The Government of Canada has declared 2005 the Year of the Veteran. Canadians will honour, remember, celebrate and share with our young people the important contributions and sacrifices made by our veterans. This year is also particularly meaningful because it marks the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II. On Sept. 29, 'Ordinary People in Extraordinary Conflict: New Brunswickers at War 1914 - 1946' an exhibition developed by the NBM will open. This exhibition includes significant pieces from the Museum's collection as well as loaned material and focuses on the experiences at sea, on land, in the air and on the home front.
Satisfaction Guaranteed, an exhibition from the Canadian Museum of Civilization looks at the period when mail-order catalogues played a significant role in retailing in Canada. It is at the NBM until Dec. 11. Admission to the Museum is : Adults $6.00, Students $3.25, Seniors $4.75, Families $13.00. Hours: Monday to Friday 9 am to 5 pm, Thursday open until 9 pm, Saturday 10 am to 5 pm, Sunday and Holidays 12 noon to 5 pm. Closed Mondays during winter months.
The New Brunswick Museum Archives and Research Library is located at 277 Douglas Avenue. It has many documents useful for genealogical research and material reflecting all aspects of life in New Brunswick. The majority of the archival and library collections are available for searching on a database. The archival holdings include business records, personal papers, and documents relating to the social, military, religious and political life of new Brunswick, with the emphasis on the nineteenth century. Both published and manuscript materials are available and reference staff is on hand to help identify specific areas of interest. Beginning September 10th, the Archives and Research Library will be extending its public hours to include Saturdays (with the exception of holiday weekends). The new hours of operation will be: Tuesday to Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Free parking is available and wheelchair access can be provided by contacting the Archives. To learn more about the New Brunswick Museum's programs and activities, visit its Web site at www.nbm-mnb.ca or call (506) 643-2300.
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