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New Brunswick Museum
Canada's
Oldest Continuing Museum
 Canada's
oldest continuing museum, the New Brunswick Museum, is located in
historic uptown Saint John. The Museum's lineage can be traced back
to 1842, when physician turned geologist Abraham Gesner opened the
Museum of Natural History. Gesner's collection of fossils, minerals,
zoological specimens and curiousities from around the world was
passed on to the Natural History Society of New Brunswick, and in
1929 the Provincial Museum was officially incorporated.
Today the Museum's remarkable collection of natural science specimens,
decorative arts and Canadiana provides an invaluable resource for
research, reference and education. The Museum continues its active
involvement in field work and research to document the diversity
of New Brunswick.
The Museum has effectively drawn on its collection for its modern
60,000 square feet exhibit space 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 Maritime story of shipbuilding
in the 19th century. Visitors also enjoy guided tours and hands-on
activities in the Discovery Gallery.
Until August 15, the Museum is very proud to be the host of an exhibit
produced by the Canadian Museum of Nature - 'THE GEEE! IN GENOME'.
It is Canada's first exhibit on genomics, the study of genes and
their functions. It is presented nationally by Genome Canada in
partnership with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, with
regional support from Genome Atlantic. In the more than 50 years
since Canadian scientists James Watson and Francis Crick discovered
DNA, science has taken giant strides. The bilingual exhibition explains
the relevance of genomics to nature and human life through a colourful,
interactive display that encourages questions and dialogue.
Admission: 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.
Open Tuesday to Friday, 10 am to 4:30 pm.
To learn more about the New Brunswick Museum's programs and activities,
visit its website at www.nbm-mnb.ca
or call (506) 643-2300.
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