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Newfoundland & Labrador

Museum sights in Newfoundland & Labrador

  1. A

    Newfoundland Science Centre

    A rainy-day option for the kids is the Newfoundland Science Centre with dinosaurs, a planetarium and space exhibits (check out the astronaut toilet or calculate your age on Mars).

    reviewed

  2. B

    Johnson Geo Centre

    Nowhere in the world can geo-history, going back to the birth of the earth, be accessed so easily as in Newfoundland, and the Geo Centre does a grand job of making snore-worthy geological information perk up with appeal via its underground, interactive displays.

    The center also has an exhibit on the Titanic, and how human error and omission caused the tragedy, not just an iceberg. For instance, the ship's owners didn't supply her with enough lifeboats so as not to 'clutter the deck,' and the crew ignored myriad ice warnings. What any of this has to do with geology remains unclear, but who cares? It's fascinating.

    Trails with interpretive panels wind around outside. The Geo…

    reviewed

  3. C

    The Rooms

    Not many museums offer the chance to see a giant squid, hear avant-garde sound sculptures and peruse ancient weaponry all under one roof. But that's The Rooms, the province's all-in-one historical museum, art gallery and archives. Frankly, the building is much more impressive to look at than look in, since its frequently changing exhibits are sparse. But whoa! The views from this massive stone-and-glass complex, which lords over the city from a breath-sapping hilltop, are eye-poppers; try the 4th-floor cafe for the best vistas. There's free admission Wednesday evenings.

    reviewed

  4. D

    Railway Society of Newfoundland

    Within historic Humbermouth Station, the Railway Society of Newfoundland has a good-looking steam locomotive and some narrow-gauge rolling stock that chugged across the province from 1921 to 1939.

    reviewed

  5. Durrell Museum

    Don't neglect to take a tour of the exceptionally scenic Durrell and its museum, dwelling atop Old Maid Hill. Bring your lunch; there are a couple of picnic tables and a spectacular view.

    reviewed

  6. Twillingate Museum

    Housed in a former Anglican rectory, the museum tells the island's history since the first British settlers arrived in the mid-1700s. It also displays articles brought back from around the world by local sea captains. Another room delves into the seal hunt and its controversy. There's a historic church next door.

    reviewed

  7. E

    Railway Heritage Centre

    The center has two things going on. One is a museum stuffed with shipwreck artifacts. Its showpiece is the astrolabe, a striking brass navigational instrument made in Portugal in 1628. The device is in remarkable condition and is one of only about three dozen that exist in the world. Restored railway cars are the center's other facet.

    reviewed

  8. Prime Berth/Twillingate Fishing Museum

    Make this your first stop. Run by an engaging fisherman, the private museum, with its imaginative and deceivingly simple concepts (a cod splitting show!), is brilliant, and fun for mature scholars and school kids alike. It's the first place you see as you cross to Twillingate.

    reviewed

  9. Mary March Provincial Museum

    This is worth visiting. Exhibits concentrate on the recent and past histories of Aboriginal peoples in the area, including the extinct Beothuk tribe. Take exit 18A south to reach it. Admission includes the loggers' museum, and vice versa.

    reviewed

  10. Loggers' Life Provincial Museum

    Here you can experience the life of a 1920s logging camp – smells and all.

    reviewed

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  12. Grenfell Museum

    Admission to the Properties also includes Grenfell's beautiful mansion, now the Grenfell Museum. It's behind the hospital, about a five-minute walk from the waterfront. Dyed burlap walls and antique furnishings envelop memorabilia, including a polar bear rug and, if rumors are correct, the ghost of Mrs Grenfell.

    reviewed